


Tovarion's Greatest Gift

by astralust



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Infinity Stones, Non-Canon Relationship, Not Canon Compliant, Political Alliances, Power Stone (Marvel), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Slow Burn, honestly what is this and what has my life become, literally u guys this is gonna be so slow burn oh man
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2019-07-18 04:58:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 26,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16111298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astralust/pseuds/astralust
Summary: Millennia ago, the ancient planet Tovarion was gifted an Infinity Stone with the intent to keep it hidden. But like all great secrets, its whereabouts are ultimately uncovered by the Mad Titan, who comes to claim his prize from the secluded society. When he demands the planet's loyalty in exchange for sparing the lives of its people, the crown princess offers her own hand in marriage as a means of facilitating an alliance and protecting her people.





	1. Offworlders' Visit

The blue and silver flags that lined the palace facade lapped against the swift breeze that had fallen over the imperial city. The guards that passed by them gave no second thought, however, as they marched past towering columns and out onto the veranda that flanked the palace doors. Some muttered words of shock and awe while others called upon the grace of their gods to offer them protection. 

As ancient as Tovarion was, the planet and her people prided themselves on their cloistered society. Many of those who had lived for millennia had never set eyes on an offworlder. To venture beyond their world was an act reserved only for warriors and royals. The people of Tovarian were content to live peaceful lives, and the only thought of adventure came when considering journeys to the summits of the planet’s towering mountains or rides across its vast, silver-flecked plains.

It was no surprise, then, that on this day, clusters of Tovari had gathered in the city square to behold the enormous, ring-like ship that hovered not far above their heads. Their over robes lapping at their ankles, they passed thoughts and conjectures between themselves in hushed tones. Visitors from other worlds were a rare sight, indeed. Many of Tovarion’s younger citizens had seen no more than streaks of light as spacecrafts passed just outside of the planet’s atmosphere or, on the extraordinary occasion, the outline of a great ship as it flew by.

It was how the Tovari had endured for as long as they had. 

Thousands upon thousands of generations had lived across millions of years. In their seclusion, they had achieved almost mythical status among the stars. Some believed that they must be gods while others had come to deny their very existence. The Tovari, of course, scoffed at hearing such rumors from the few that did venture beyond their world. Simply put, theirs was a culture that had thrived by being left well enough alone. If a matter was not their own, then there was no sense in bothering at all.

But there was simply no ignoring the “matter” that floated, stagnant, above the capital city on this particular clear, warm afternoon. The small group of Tovari gathered in the square quickly turned into a sea of dark-haired individuals, all stood aghast as royal cavalry ships whizzed towards the royal palace. The few lucky enough to stand at the front of the crowd could just make out two figures, one tall and thin and the other broader and even taller, being escorted by guards up the vast flight of stairs that led to the monumental palace doors. 

A hush had already fallen on the usually lively palace, its high ceilings echoing naught but the sound of footsteps and the clanking of metal armor. The smaller of the two visitors, a skulking creature, stepped lightly, confidently, with long fingers steepled before his torso. There was no trepidation in the smirking gaze he cast to the nobles that they passed, no fear of the guards that attended them. His was an almost holy mission, one whose outcome he was all but certain of. 

The look on the being’s face did not fade even as the doors to the throne room swung open before them, revealing Tovarion’s ruler as she sat waiting for her unexpected guests. She was unmistakable, an indomitable figure with raven-black hair, clad in silver and perched upon an ornate throne. On either side of her, colossal stone effigies of his planet’s four deities stood watching, protecting.

Queen Aredhyn had governed her people with a kind heart and open palms for millennia. Her dealings in intergalactic affairs (however few and far between as they had been) had been decidedly more withdrawn. Diplomacy was only practiced in such a way that ensured the protection of her people, their planet, and their way of life. 

And so Aredhyn regarded the two foreigners sternly from her throne, piercing pale grey eyes staring down the bridge of her long, thin nose. She did not know their faces, but knew well enough by their harsh appearance and the theatrics of their descent onto Tovarion that they were not harbingers of fair and peaceful tidings. 

The smaller of the two visitors stepped forward a single pace. As the guards moved to draw their weapons, he stopped and, with a great flourish, bowed deeply before the queen. 

“Oh, noble and most benevolent Queen Aredhyn, I stand before you as herald to the Great Titan, who sends his sincerest regards to your majesty and to the people of Tovarion.” As he glanced up, he noticed the flash of recognition pass over the queen’s face, her dark brow furrowing for but an instant.

“And what is it that he wants? He did not send you all this way to simply send his regards.” 

The creature’s thin lips pulled up into a half smile. “He would like to offer a chance at salvation to you and your people. The opportunity to--”

“By ‘salvation’ you mean ruin and death,” the queen interrupted, her own expression curling into a tight frown. “Do not think I am not aware of whom you speak, and what havoc he has wrought on the Universe. The only ‘salvation’ my people need is that which is bestowed upon them by our gods.”

“Naturally,” the visitor cooed, offering another bow of his head. “But, I must correct you, your highness. It is not havoc -- nay -- it is… order. Balance.” 

Aredhyn drew in a long breath as she shifted on her throne. Her gaze hardened, jaw clenched tight beneath a pale complexion almost the hue of the silver in which her planet was so abundant. “Tovarion does not need balancing.” 

“All life does, your highness.” The visitor made a sweeping gesture, opening his arms with his palms. It was his greatest honor to assist his father with such a monumental task, a requisite for life itself to continue. What a righteous destiny it was. “And yet… I am sure you understand that, were it his aim to balance your planet, he would not have dispatched me to seek an audience with you first.”

The queen took no enjoyment in being toyed with. In a swift motion, she rose from her throne and closed the distance between her and the visitor. Her scowl met the creature’s noseless visage. “What is it that your master wants?” she hissed.

The visitor met the queen’s quiet fury with a composed, haughty grin. “Tovarion’s greatest gift. Its endowment from Asgard -- passed in secret to your forebears from the hands of King Buri himself.”

Silence passed between the two beings for what seemed like an age, the queen breathless under the immense weight of the words that still rung in her ears. The anger in her eyes fell away like leaves blown in the wind. There was not a Tovari alive today besides she that knew of this. An Infinity Stone, a hidden thing, the knowledge of which had come to her through her mother and her mother before her. Tovarion had been the home of the artifact for millennia, kept under the protection of the royal family. 

“Odeiovarion,” Aredhyn breathed, a quiet appeal to her gods in her mother tongue. “How does he know of this?” Her slow, calculated tone belied the tumultuous storm that raged beneath the surface. It was almost a whisper, punctuated only by the pounding of her own heart. 

“Have you any idea how long he has sought the stones?” the creature jeered. “He has his ways of obtaining information. It was only a matter of time, your highness. But rejoice, for Tovarion can now fulfill its greatest purpose. Its destiny.” 

“Its destiny…” the queen echoed. With a short breath, she turned away from the foreigner to once again face her throne. What else could she do? Send word to Odin? Even Asgard could not help protect Tovarion from the madman and his hordes should they withhold the item he sought. 

The visitor continued. “I understand how deeply you value the lives of your people. To give him what he wants is to ensure their protection. To deny him would all but mean the ruin of your civilization.”

Aredhyn raised a single eyebrow, lips parting and closing within mere seconds of one another. Her silence spoke volumes to the foreigner, whose hands were once again clasped before his chest. The prophet, having shared his holy message, could only smile even as the queen’s back remained turned to him. 

“Why send you first? Why not simply ravage our planet, slaughter my people, and claim the artifact as his own?” Of all the thoughts that flooded the queen’s head, this was the one she mused aloud. 

“The Great Titan is generous. Tovarion is one of the very oldest planets in existence… what a shame it would be to see her suffer when her queen can so easily guarantee her safety.” 

“How generous, indeed.”

“He will also ask for your loyalty to his cause.” The creature chuckled. “A small price to pay to secure a happy life for your people.”

This final request sent a jolt through the queen’s body. As she whipped around, dark tresses fell into her face and framed the intense furor in her gaze. “Tovarion will not turn her back on her allies in favor of a madman. This I cannot do.” 

Her glare was met with an equivalent frown from the visitor, who drew in a deep breath. “That is disappointing.” 

“We can offer anything else to him. Tovari silver for armor. Space crafts…” Aredhyn’s voice trailed off as she delved deeper into her thoughts. Fingers clenching and fiddling idly with themselves, she paced before the creature. “I… must speak with my Council. Weigh our options…” But what options truly lay before her? Succumb or suffer. The choice was already made on her behalf. 

“Then I should urge you to decide forthwith, Queen Aredhyn.” The creature’s words dripped with a malice that wilted some of the queen’s resolve. This was no idle threat. Tovarion’s fate would be decided in the days to come. “You shall come face-to-face with the Great Titan and his forces in two days. Think well on his terms.”


	2. Consideration

There was an air of great unease in the days that followed the visit from the offworlders. Tovarion, ever lively even into the late evenings, was left quiet. Families huddled in their homes, questions about all that had transpired and all that was yet to come plaguing their minds. The palace had been unable to afford them any answers, save for one: the following days would bring even more formidable forces from across the stars and Tovarion’s fate lay in the balance.

On the eve of the offworlders’ promised return, sleep was no longer a commodity afforded to those of the royal household, the nobles at court, and every servant that attended to the palace’s needs. All but the High Council had been excluded from the queen’s inner chambers, where quiet words of alliance, destruction, and sacrifice tasted sour on the tongues of the few present. 

One awaited their emergence, impatiently, as the night wore on and the city fell into darkness one household at a time. The crown prince Erodhil, first-born of the queen and the one destined for the throne, sat hunched on a bench that overlooked the sprawling city below. Weary eyes danced across the starlit rooftops, tracing their outlines as if to memorize them. In the distance lay the towering silhouette of Tovarion’s high temple. Beyond that, the waves of the sea glittered in the night sky, mirroring all the colors of the cosmos as they cascaded towards the shore. Would any of this beauty remain after tomorrow?

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled Erodhil from that far horizon, breaking the silence that otherwise surrounded him. But he could not be bothered to even grant them a passing glance. 

The footsteps soon stopped beside him. A lithe hand extended and, in it, sat a silver bowl full of warm stew. Erodhil drew in a deep breath through his nose, still not looking up even as the other pushed the dish into his own palms. “Aerendis.”

“I know you have been sitting here all day, brother,” she sighed, settling into the spot beside him. “You need to eat.”

“Why, when it may not matter come morning?” The tone of his voice told Aerendis that something else entirely weighed heavy on his mind.

“If we are to die, would you not rather do it on a full stomach?” Well-manicured fingers settled gently on his silver shoulder plate, pristine enough for her to see her own face reflected in its surface. Her other hand reached up to tuck a stray strand of long, black hair from his face, revealing the sullen expression beneath. Her attempt at a smile went unnoticed.

“I would _rather_ know what mother and the Council are planning on doing about it,” he spat, fists clenched tight against his thighs. 

“You aren’t king yet. It is mother’s responsibility to devise a plan and execute it.” Her head tilted a bit to catch his gaze, their colorless grey eyes meeting for the first time since she sat with him. “And ours to follow suit.” 

With a grunt, Erodhil rose from the bench and strode several paces from her. “What do you know, Rena?”

Aerendis knew this side of her older brother. He was an honorable, caring man with a temper that could easily boil to the surface. Millennia of the promise of becoming king had made him impatient for the throne. He was a leader, no doubt, but it was not his time. 

“I know that mother will tell us of her plan in due time.” She raised a single brow. “And I know that your brooding will get you nowhere. Sit down, Erodhil. Eat.”

The prince took one more long, piercing glance at the capital city below. Only a few, scattered dim lights flickered in the darkness. A great sigh sunk his shoulders as he turned back to his sister, whose round, wide-set eyes regarded him with the same tenderness as always. She loved their people and their planet, but she loved their family more. 

He was deflated as he rejoined her, back hunched with eyes fixed to the stone floor. “Rena… I do not want to witness the end of our people. This… Titan - I do not know that we could prevail against him and his forces. They say he is a formidable foe.” 

Aerendis’ own expression darkened at the thought of what was to come. Though long before her birth, Tovarion had seen its fair share of bloodshed and war, but this could be something else entirely. The weight of it dwelled on her shoulders, too. The uncertainty. But she did know that the queen would protect her people as best she could - or die trying. 

“Tovarion will endure, brother.” Her hands clasped around his gently. “Mother would not sacrifice our world so easily. Every Tovari life is sacred.” Heaving a sigh, she turned to face him fully. “What would you do? If you were king right now and the decision were yours to make?” 

“Not pledge Tovari lives to his wretched cause.” 

There was a fire in his gaze that elicited a grin from Aerendis. Where his strengths lay in battle and commanding the loyalty of throngs of people, hers were all but the opposite. A keen mind and diplomatic prowess had made her an excellent foil to her brother. Their mother always believed that Tovarion would thrive under their combined leadership one day.

“And?” Her head tilted, a swath of long, black hair falling from behind her shoulder.

“And… if he demanded any more from our people, I would only offer what we could spare. Resources, weapons, armor.”

“You know he has already demanded more.” 

Erodhil let out a sharp breath from his nose, throwing a hand up into the air. “You are the experienced diplomat, Rena. Tell me what you would do, then.”

But as soon as the princess could draw in a breath, a commotion from down the hall interrupted their conversation. Out from their mother’s chambers rushed the queen herself, along with a handful of the members of her council. Both prince and princess rose from their seat as they approached, expectantly awaiting their answer. 

Aerendis’ hope was short-lived, for as their mother drew closer, she could see the lines of worry creasing her brow. “Mother.”

Her voice seemed to snap the queen from her own thoughts. She stopped dead before them, her dark robes swaying past her ankles following such a quick cessation of motion. Aerendis rarely knew their mother to put her emotions on display in such a public setting, but the grim expression behind her eyes gave her away this night. 

“You’ve decided.” Aerendis did not envy her mother. An impossible decision either way was surely a hard one to come to.

“I believe have, my love.” 

“What will we do?” 

The queen opened her arms to her children, who approached without a second thought. “Walk with me. I want to show you something.”

-

The council dismissed, Queen Aredhyn led her children through the towering halls of the palace. In their youth, the pair had spent their days exploring every inch of their home, from the highest tower to the deepest vault. Even those most secret and forbidden of places where palace guards kept watch at all hours of day and night - they had seen it all. 

“Mother, where are you taking us?” Erodhil asked, keeping in step with the queen’s fast pace through the dark interior of the palace. 

“To show you what the Mad Titan is seeking.” 

“What?” Aerendis glanced at her brother. “Here, in the vaults?” There was not an inch of them that the two of them did not know by now. It seemed an impossible thing for there to be a room or an artifact that they had not yet seen. 

But there was a place underneath the palace guarded by magic, a hidden vault designated for Tovarion’s greatest treasure. It had been there, far beneath their feet all this time - an Infinity Stone. Glowing, surging with power. Locked away behind impenetrable, enchanted stone since the day of its arrival all those many years ago.

“Here in the vaults,” the queen repeated as she stopped before a stone wall that bore an intricate relief depicting the creation of Tovarion by its four gods, the Etherion. Aerendis watched with great interest as her mother removed the black pendant necklace from her neck and pressed the stone into a perfectly-shaped notch in the center of the image - where the gods’ hands entwined to form the planet itself. What the princess had always believed to be a family heirloom was something with far more than sentimental meaning. 

Suddenly, the wall illuminated in a white light that radiated outward from the pendant, tracing delicately along the lines of the relief until the entire chamber was bathed in its glow. Then, the stone itself began to fade, whatever sorcery that held it in place slowly revealing a staircase behind it.

“Come.”

The three descended into the lower vault, hundreds of stairs taking them deeper and deeper into the ground beneath Tovarion’s surface. Queen Aredhyn moved with a certain urgency, not glancing back at her children for even a moment until they reached the bottom.

What lay before them was a grand room, encased in stone and empty save for an ornate pedestal in its exact middle. Above it, a silver orb hovered within a sheath of purple light.

Aerendis was the first to step closer, brow furrowed as her eyes studied the artifact in all its utter simplicity. “What is it?”

“An Infinity Stone,” the queen replied, watching as both of her children now regarded the object. 

“Tovarion is home to one of the Stones?” Erodhil was breathless under the weight of such a realization.

“How long has it been here?” Aerendis asked, looking to their mother. She had long believed the Stones to be no more than myth, when one had resided in their very palace. 

The queen stepped forward, eyes fixed and unblinking as she stared at the orb. “Since long before either of you were born. Asgard’s first king charged your great grandmother with its safe keeping. And here it has remained ever since.” 

“Which of the Stones is it?” Aerendis watched at the purple luminescence danced off of their mother’s sharp features.

“Power. The most destructive of them all…” Aredhyn drew in a slow breath. “It is why we have had to safeguard it. Ensure that it did not fall into the wrong hands.”

“Yet those hands will be coming to collect it tomorrow,” Erodhil mused bitterly.

“We will have to give it to him.” The queen did not look away from the orb even as her children’s heads turned to stare at her. “It will be the end of Tovarion should we deny him." A brief but heavy silence followed. "The Council and I have also agreed that -” It was clear that the words pained her greatly. “- we must pledge fealty. He wants an alliance. One that we cannot refuse. Our people -”

“ _Our people_ ,” the prince interjected. “Cannot fight a tyrant’s war. Will our soldiers take innocent lives at his behest? Will they abandon our allies? Leave our planet defenseless while they fight for someone who is not their queen?!” 

“They will or they will die tomorrow!” Aredhyn’s voice boomed, echoing in the emptiness of the chamber. “Whether we choose to refuse him or fight him, we all will!” 

Her head fell and she turned away from her children. The crown lay particularly heavy on her head this day. A queen of nearly five millennia and never had such a choice lay before her. Never had she been at such a loss. 

The prince opened his mouth to protest, but his sister raised a hand to stop him. He could only press his lips together with a great sigh. In the silence that followed, Aerendis began to piece together an entirely different solution. Her mind grasped desperately at threads of ideas of fealty and alliance. She began to pace, eyes ever fixed on the orb before them. There had to be another way, surely. There had to be another way. As the threads slowly began to weave a tapestry in her mind, she felt her heart begin to sink.

_An impossible decision._

“Mother.” Aerendis stopped, eyes fixed to the floor in thought. “What if we do not need to pledge fealty? Not all alliances need be so direct.” 

“Aerendis,” the queen breathed, coming to a moment of realization. “Do not…”

“But I must.” Closing the distance between her and her mother, Aerendis took hold of her hands. “Have you not always told us that it is our responsibility to protect our people? protect them. If I can. In any way that I can.” 

“Sister, are you saying -” Erodhil did not want to believe it for himself, either.

“Yes," she exhaled, her throat bone-dry. "I’m going to marry him.”


	3. Counteroffer

Aerendis closed her eyes, lips parting to breathe in the soft breeze that swept over the hill and through her hair. Her steed, a majestic Tovari Faraax, shifted underneath her, its broad, paw-like feet padding loudly against the silvery grass. Fingers moved gently through the creature’s soft mop of grey fur, feeling the warmth of its body and the ebbing motion of its slow breaths. 

“Cassiopeia, it’s alright,” she cooed to the beast, which responded with a hearty grunt. But as her eyes turned upward to once again regard the great warship hovering above Tovarion’s capital city, her words turned acrid in her mouth. 

The Faraax shifted again, turning its large, deer-like head towards her. Those eyes, dark as midnight, conveyed their usual kindness, but disclosed something else as well. Worry. The princess was akin to a mother, having hand-reared and cared directly for the creature since its birth many centuries ago. The two shared a certain bond, so undoubtedly it sensed her own trepidation. 

“It will be alright.”

From astride the Faraax’s large back, Aerendis could behold the valley in its entirety. The smoke rising out of chimneys in the city streets. The people, appearing as small as grains of rice from their place atop the hill. Ship after ship whizzed past, converging on the palace, where hordes of foreign soldiers stood toe-to-toe with the guards that protected the queen. 

Aerendis knew. He was already there. She was out of time.

Tugging at her Faraax’s reigns, she breathed in the cool morning air one last time. “Come on, girl.” The creature took off, its muscular, elongated legs carrying them both across the grass at tremendous speed. 

-

“ _Where is your sister?_ ” Queen Aredhyn asked under her breath, a furrowed brow meeting her son’s gaze.

“I do not know,” Erodhil replied, leaning down to whisper into his mother’s ear as she sat, awaiting their guest’s imminent arrival. “I have not seen her all morning.”

The princess’ absence did not sit well with the queen. She never knew Aerendis to be tardy, least of all on such a significant occasion as this. But there was no time to send someone after her, and no one to spare. 

Every guard in the palace and every soldier from all corners of Tovarion had been called to the capital city. None ignored their queen’s request. Fighters encircled the throne, stood watch outside of the palace, and lined every street in the city - and yet, it became clear quickly enough that they were far outnumbered by the Mad Titan’s forces. Not only were there hordes of ghastly footsoldiers, but also countless numbers of flying beasts and other ships at his command. And all waited for the signal to attack should his demands go unmet.

The queen sat motionless, expressionless, in waiting. On the outside, she was the embodiment of a strong leader, an adept warrior. Her dark hair, intricately plaited away from her face and flecked with grey streaks, revealed the silvery-white skin that bore lines of age. Her silver armor, gleamed in the morning light that flooded into the hall from above.

Only her son could see the turmoil boiling underneath. White knuckles grasped the armrest of her throne. Her eyes watched everything, yet seemed to see nothing. 

Aredhyn breathed in sharply as a figure appeared in the doorway to the throne room. A broad silhouette gave way to a tall figure cloaked in golden armor. The Mad Titan, as promised. Four other figures soon followed behind him, two of which the queen recognized from just two days prior. They approached the throne with haste, stopping just shy of the guards they so easily towered over. 

There were no niceties, no formality shown before the queen of Tovarion. Not even so much as a bow. She prickled at the heavy silence that followed, lips downturned as she looked her guest up and down.

“Welcome to Tovarion, Thanos of Titan.” Her attempt at a smile came off as more of a grimace.

The Mad Titan glanced around the throne room with incredulity before meeting the queen’s gaze from underneath his helm. “Your people have an interesting way of welcoming guests, your highness.” 

Aredhyn didn’t much care for his mockery. Her hand balled into a fist against the cold stone beneath her arm. Still, she remembered the warship hovering just over the city and bit her tongue.

With a passing smirk, Thanos began to pace in front of the queen’s guard, formidable fighters who now looked so puny in comparison. He towered over each one by nearly two feet. As he walked, each one tightened their grasp on their weapon. Honorable, the queen knew, but it would be folly should this meeting end badly.

“I don’t see the power stone.” He turned to the skulking creature from before. “Was the Maw not clear enough when communicating my expectations?” 

“He was perfectly clear,” the queen replied, her jaw tightening. “But it is safe... in the vault.”

Thanos’ calm, calculated expression faltered for a moment. His scowl fell away just as quickly, but his displeasure was all too evident. “I have given you a choice, your highness. Out of my own generosity, I offered to spare your world in exchange for the stone.” The Titan’s gaze pierced into hers, is voice lowering to a more threatening tone. “It would take… seconds… to wipe your ancient culture from the cosmos and I would still pluck the stone from the rubble.”

Queen Aredhyn raised a hand, unwilling to indulge him any longer. “You will have the stone, Thanos of Titan. Do not waste any more breath threatening me and my people.” 

“ _Your people_ ,” he repeated, now with a glint in his eye. “I know the Maw conveyed the other half of my demands.”

“In so many words, yes. He did.” Aredhyn rose from her throne, moving down a few of the glimmering steps. Her pale grey eyes never left those of the Mad Titan. In her daughter’s absence, her following statement would carry far less weight. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears amidst the utter silence in the throne room. “I have consulted my Council. Prayed to our gods.” She turned to the prince. “Consulted my children. We cannot ally by giving you Tovarion’s armies.”

Thanos’ expression soured. “That is unfortunate.” 

“We cannot eschew our existing alliances by supplying soldiers to their enemies. On my honor, I will not break faith with millennia-old allies.” 

“You are just that, your highness. Honorable. But tell me - will honor save you? Will your gods save you?” 

“Spare me,” the queen mused, staring down her nose at him from where she stood, bathed in sunlight on the steps to her throne. 

“Tovarion is one of the universe’s very few remaining ancient civilizations. I have given you the opportunity to save it. An opportunity I only extend to you one last time.”

Aredhyn threw a passing glance at her son before continuing. “We have another offer.” She watched as the Titan’s brow creased in surprise and interest. “One that we hope you will consider.”

The Mad Titan heaved a sigh - the queen could only hope that he would indulge her for a few moments more. “Go on.”

But as she drew in a breath, a commotion just outside the throne room doors caused the queen to pause before sharing their proposal. It was a moment of immense confusion - the Mad Titan’s forces all turned, weapons drawn, to face what they believed was an approaching threat. But the queen’s guard were quick to react, preparing to counter the opposing forces. 

“Make way!” a voice called from the rampart outside. “Make way for the princess.”

Aredhyn sighed in relief for more than one reason, loosening her grip on her own sword. “Stand down! Stand down, all of you!” she called to her own soldiers. “Have your men stand down, Thanos of Titan. It is only my daughter.” 

The energy in the room quickly dissipated as a new figure appeared in the colossal doorway. The silhouette of a Faraax came lumbering in, its short, floppy ears swaying with each step. As it moved closer, the Mad Titan’s forces parted to let it pass. Until the creature dipped its head, no one would have expected it to be carrying a rider. But in its saddle sat the princess, hair windswept and overcoat draped elegantly across its back. 

Aerendis sat proudly astride her steed, her torso moving back and forth with each one of its strides. The Faraax vocalized confusedly at the strange creatures that flanked it on either side, which elicited a soft hush from the princess’ lips. After the long walk to the throne, the creature’s feet thudded to a stop just before the Mad Titan himself, who seemed utterly unfazed. From where she sat, more than twelve feet above the ground, Aerendis looked down to meet his gaze. 

Whatever she had expected him to look like, this was not it. Even do, he had the appearance of a conqueror, no doubt, with his intricate golden armor, broad frame, and formidable stature. She would have to get accustomed to the sight of him should he accept their offer and spare Tovarion from the fate of so many worlds before it. 

The Faraax knelt to give the princess an easier dismount, grunting once again as it beheld the strange being before it. Aerendis’ hand patted her steed’s side as she passed, briefly meeting the gaze of her potential betrothed once more before approaching her mother. 

“I apologize for the delay, _Ama_ ,” she said, bowing before her queen. Her voice lowered. “Tovarion still stands.”

Aredhyn reached out to take her daughter’s hands, her own shoulders relaxing in relief at the mere sight of her. “ _For now_ ,” she uttered in their mother tongue. The pair touched foreheads, a usual greeting among Tovari who were very close. 

Aerendis glanced over her shoulder at the Mad Titan, still standing impatiently on the other side of the guards. “You command quite the army. I would say you outnumber us... ten to one? And I am sure there are forces still aboard your ship.” 

“Forces that will answer my call at a moment’s notice.” 

“Yes, I am sure.” She was truly her mother’s daughter, choosing to ignore his threats and simply continue as she began to pace back and forth. “We have but a few thousand elite fighters at our own call. Tovarion has not needed a great army since -” With a tsk, she looked to her mother and shrugged. “- oh, the time of my great great grandmother, I believe?”

Thanos’ eyes narrowed. She knew he was already aware of what she would say next. 

“Our army would not add much in the end, I am afraid. You are already so well equipped.” A sleepless night had given way to a wave of arguments against supplying their soldiers to the Mad Titan’s army. Arguments that now came spilling forth. In a way, she was delaying their final proposal. Now that the moment was here, the words did not seem to want to leave her lips. “And, of course, pledging our best fighters to your cause would leave us defenseless. What sort of an alliance is it if your allies should bear the brunt of an attack - from, say, other allies who are displeased with our support of your cause - with no means of protecting themselves?” 

Before he could interject, she continued.

“That is a short-lived alliance, indeed.” All her nerves caught in her throat suddenly, choking the very air form her lungs. There was so much sorrow in the thought of the Mad Titan refusing their offer, which would bring the prompt decimation of her people. The thought of him accepting elicited immense trepidation of its own. But she was assured in her faith that the gods had laid a path for her millennia ago, and she was ready to take it if this was the way.

“Alliances need not be between armies,” she went on, turning fully to face the Titan. “If you wish for a lasting alliance with Tovarion, then you should do so through marriage.” Her words clearly caught even him off guard. Aerendis watched as his brow lifted in surprise. “In exchange for the lives of my people, I extend my hand… to you. I will go with you as not only a… wife, but also as an envoy of the Tovari people. You will have the stone you seek as well as any resources, weapons, and armor that you require.” 

“I have no need of a princess on my ship,” he retorted.

The queen was quick to step in. “Aerendis has not seen war herself, but she is an adept fighter and even more effective diplomat. She has handled our affairs with other worlds for more than a thousand years. I trust you could benefit from her presence.”

“You give yourself away for the sake of your people,” Thanos addressed the princess, who showed no signs of fear in her steely exterior. “A noble sentiment.” 

“Thank you. I have meant every word.” 

“I do not doubt it.” A long, slow breath left him. “Very well, princess. Your people can rest easy tonight.”

It was as though Aerendis could breathe once again, yet that same fear as before came over her all the same. Arranged marriages (or whatever one called such a situation as this) were unheard of on Tovarion. As a girl, she had hoped to one day fall in love with the one that she would spend her fifteen thousand years with. She had hoped for a marriage as loving as the one that her parents had shared. Those hopes were dashed. But, she reminded herself, her people were safe. They were safe. Perhaps this was what the gods had intended for her, after all.

“Your generosity is much appreciated,” Aerendis replied, meeting the pale blue of his eyes with the soft grey of her own. “Thanos.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, an update!
> 
> Nearly 4k words in and purple husband to be is finally here! Strap in, cause I feel like this is gonna be a REALLY long fic in the end, oyyy. Hope you've enjoyed reading and thanks for stopping by!


	4. A Promise

The palace was suddenly bustling with a new kind of energy. Though fear and uncertainty about the army at their doorstep remained, everyone from queen to handmaiden was hard at work to make the princess’ wedding happen on such short notice. For the typical Tovari wedding, planning could take a year or more. Blessings had to be obtained, gowns had to be sewn, families had to unite. And when royals married, the process could take even longer. The queen had been betrothed to her husband, one of the city’s noblemen, for nearly a decade before they were finally wed.

Yet the agreed-upon terms were that the Princess Aerendis would marry before nightfall on the following day. With little less than thirty-six hours to prepare, the palace was hard at work to plan all that her wedding required: tremendous feasts, tributes to the gods, entertainment, and so much more.

The Tovari were a hard-working people, with each citizen dutifully playing his or her part to serve their gods and their queen well. They took pride in their work, but where their hearts truly lay was in community and celebration and festivity. Occasions such as weddings were an all too welcome excuse for the people of Tovarion to take entire weeks away from their work. To have a wedding - especially that of their princess - transpire in a single evening was simply unheard of.

Despite the frenzy that gripped the palace, the princess had not been seen since exiting the throne room after coming face-to-face with her new husband to be. The weight of what was to come was suffocating - even though she knew now that it was certainly the will of the gods for this alliance to come to fruition. It had quickly dawned on her that these were her last few hours on her home planet. 

To her, the best place to take in the beauty of Tovarion was from her chambers, out on the sprawling balcony that overlooked the city in its entirety and all of the land and sea that surrounded it. She knew they would soon come - the dressmakers, the organizers, the queen. So many people with so many questions. She wanted as much time as possible to soak in all the sights of Tovarion while she still could. 

“Aerendis... I have your tea.” A voice pulled her away from that distant place she had gone to, eyes unfocused, staring out at the sea on the horizon. For a moment, she was a child again and her family was spending a day there together. Her father teaching her to ride a Faraax. Her brother searching for creatures beneath the soft white sand. But that was a very long time ago. 

“Thank you, Illaria,” Aerendis breathed, gaze not leaving the horizon even as she held a hand out to take the warm glass cup from her handmaiden. “Sit with me. Please.” 

There was a desperation in the princess’ voice that elicited Illaria to sit without hesitation. As she settled gently beside her, her brow furrowed in worry. The pair of them, like all Tovari, bore the same striking features - luminescent pale skin, wide-set eyes the color of morning fog, sharp, angular jawlines, and hair that lay pin-straight against their shoulders. To off-worlders, they would look like sisters. As she faced her princess, Illaria's thin lips pressed together tightly. “How are you?”

“I have felt better, I think.” Aerendis finally returned her glance, misty eyes reflecting nothing but the truth. 

Illaria extended a hand, cupping it around the princess’. “You _saved Tovarion _. I know there is so much on your mind, but please… _please_ remember that and let it grant you some comfort. You and I would not be sitting here now had you not suggested this marriage.” __

__“I know,” Aerendis breathed, her face contorting into a grimace. “Even so… what have I gotten myself into, Illaria?”_ _

__“What will be an interesting marriage, I am sure.”_ _

__A half smile appeared on the princess’ lips for a fleeting second. Illaria always seemed to know just the thing to tease a laugh out of her, no matter the situation. Aerendis squeezed her hand._ _

__“That’s one word for it.”_ _

__That sense of dread soon bubbled up inside her again, however, and her eyes became as distant as they had been before. She knew nothing of this Titan, save for the fact that she knew many regarded him as the most powerful being in the universe. That, and that he terrorized planets, killed their people, and simply moved on to the next. And she had pledged herself to him. Her service, her loyalty, her life. The things she imagined he would ask of her caused a lump to form in her throat._ _

__“Illaria,” Aerendis finally continued after a heavy silence. “May I confess something?”_ _

__“Of course.”_ _

__The princess' fingers idly traced the rim of the glass that she had still not taken a sip from. The stiffness in her posture belied the heart that was racing in her chest. “I am... terrified. I can rest well knowing that Tovarion lives on in safety, but for my own sake…” Her voice trembled. “What if I never see home again?”_ _

__“The gods will protect you no matter where in the universe you may go, Aerendis.”_ _

__Her lips pursed. “You know what I mean.”_ _

__“In the next twelve-thousand years, I know you will return to Tovarion. Our people always find their way home one way or another. You will, too.”_ _

__A sigh loosened the tight muscles in the princess' shoulders and relaxed her posture once again. As she turned to Illaria, she leaned forward to touch foreheads. The gods could not have given her a better friend or more devoted companion. The two had known each other for more than a thousand years and, in that time, had grown closer than blood. Handmaiden was not a good enough word for her._ _

__“I will miss you terribly when I am away,” Aerendis breathed._ _

__“What if you don’t need to?”_ _

__Aerendis withdrew, brow creased in her doubt. “No. Illaria. Don’t. Don’t you dare.”_ _

__But Illaria’s own grey eyes shone with certainty. “Aerendis, you are more than my princess. You are my very best friend. I would miss you, too." Her shoulders lifted and fell in a shrug. "I also do not relish the thought of losing my job when you depart.”_ _

__The princess did not smile this time. “Illaria, you don’t know when we will return. Or _if_. You, like I, will live on a warship. Don’t tell me that you have thought this through.”_ _

__“I _have_ thought - and prayed - on it all afternoon, Aerendis. Trust me.” Both her hands enclosed her princess’ this time. “A Tovari alone in the universe cannot survive. Our people need one another. I _know_ you need me, because you are _still_ somehow utterly rubbish at plaiting your own hair. And the vast majority of your outfits require two pairs of hands to adorn.” _ _

__“Illaria…” This was no time for quips._ _

__“And you know, unlike you, I have never left Tovarion? I have never seen even a glimpse of what is out there beyond the stars that I see in our night sky. From what you have told me, there is so much beauty to behold across the cosmos.”_ _

__“How many more arguments do you have?” Aerendis sighed._ _

__“That’s all,” Illaria reassured her with a chuckle. “But I promise you, I have thought on it.”_ _

__After a silence, Aerendis shook her head. Underneath it all, disbelief still gripped her. She had saved Tovarion for Illaria and all others who lived there. But she never knew her friend to speak words that she did not mean. There was no reason to doubt her now. “I believe you.” The princess glanced up at the warship that still cast a great shadow over Tovarion. “I will be glad to have you with me, Illaria. Truly. Thank you.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit of a slow chapter, sorry about that. Wedding stuff's coming, I promise! I had three important scenes laid out for Aerendis before she leaves her home and either I was gonna break them up into three smaller chapters or have one big honking chapter of like 5k+ words. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you've enjoyed! I love Aerendis and Illaria's relationship. It's going to be so important to our princess while she experiences the growing pains of being wifey to a big purple warlord :p (Also do I ship these BFFs? Maybe???)
> 
> Thanks so so soo much for reading! xo


	5. A Late Night

Nothing but the rustling of wind in the trees and her own feet crackling on the dirt filled Aerendis’ ears as she approached the large wooden structure that was the royal stables. She was exhausted, almost dragging her boots on the ground. It was late; late enough that the entire palace should have already been asleep, but weary eyes still continued their work even into the night. 

Aerendis had already done her own part and contributed where she was needed. First, the tailors had flurried around her, measuring and pinning and chattering amongst themselves about her gown. Then, the decorators pulled her into a room teeming with options for flowers, linens, tableware, and an even more endless list of things she couldn’t begin to remember. Next, the temple priestess consulted her on the ceremony itself, which would have to be altered because her husband-to-be was not of Tovari descent. Aerendis was distant throughout all of it, letting herself be pulled in every direction and responding with only the most basic of answers. Her worry and dread about what the following day would bring only rose with each passing hour.

With such thoughts flooding her mind and knotting her core, remaining in her room would have driven her all but mad. She ultimately wandered to the one place where she could always find solace - by the side of her loyal steed. But even this tasted bittersweet. A last visit with the creature that she loved most in all the world. Aerendis already knew she would lose much when she departed Tovarion, but this was the final twist of the knife.

Pressing the carved wooden doors open, she was hit with the earthy smell of hay and the sound of Faraax’s slow, heavy breathing. Nearly a dozen of the creatures resided in these stables, and all of them belonged to the royal family. Aerendis moved silently past each of their stalls - Aldreya, Rigella, Etheris, and Meryon, her mother’s beloved mounts. Arcturus, the gentle male who had belonged to her late father. 

Next to his pen was Cassiopeia, whose lumbering form was curled tightly into a ball as she slept. The creature drew in long, deep breaths in her peaceful slumber, head perched atop her feet for comfort. Aerendis couldn’t find it in her heart to wake the creature, even if this was to be goodbye. She simply approached, extending a ringed hand to caress the Faraax’s silken fur. 

It had been centuries, but Aerendis could still recall every detail about the moment of Cassiopeia’s birth. She had been sired from the mounts of the king and queen - a royal steed for the princess. Aerendis had caught the newborn creature from her mother, cleaned her downy coat, and been there to see her open her eyes for the very first time. She could still hear the first mewl that Cassiopeia had let out and remember the joy that it had elicited in her. The pair of them had been inseparable ever since, bonded for life. Leaving her behind on Tovarion meant leaving a part of herself, too. 

The deep ache in Aerendis’ chest only grew stronger as her hand moved closer to Cassiopeia’s head. Fingers gently caressed her ears, which twitched in her sleep. Slowly, that ache rose until it lodged itself in the princess’ throat. It was a choking feeling, one that caused her eyes to well with tears. Her head bowed, pressing into the warmth of the creature’s fur. She could stay here all night. Perhaps she would.

But not after long, Aerendis felt Cassiopeia shift beneath her and she withdrew to find those dark eyes watching her. A low grunt left the creature, one of both puzzlement and concern. The princess began to stroke her ears once again.

“I didn’t mean to wake you, Cassiopeia,” she whispered, to which Cassiopeia replied with another groan. “I am sorry, my girl. I just wanted to see you.”

Cassiopeia blinked slowly in her half-asleep state. Even annoyed, even tired, she was so beautiful to Aerendis. 

“I’m going away soon,” Aerendis continued, that same choking feeling rising in her throat again. “I don’t know when I will return. I don’t know when I will see you again.” A tear trickled down her cheek. Cassiopeia leaned her head down to nuzzle it away, snuffling a soft breath against the princess’ skin. But Aerendis couldn’t manage a smile.

The Faraax clambered to her feet, now towering over the princess by more than twice her height. Still, she kept her large, round eyes fixed on her rider, eyes that shone with sadness in the dim lamplight. There was an understanding in that gaze, too, that this was goodbye. A low, mournful hum left Cassiopeia, who once again dipped her head to caress the princess’ face with her short muzzle. 

Aerendis wrapped her arms around her Faraax’s neck, fingers splayed so as to feel as much as her softness as they could. “I know,” she mumbled into the creature’s fur. “Oh, how I shall miss you, Cassiopeia.” Her words ended in a sob, one that was muffled as she turned her face fully into the warmth of the Faraax’s hide. “Erodhil will look after you, so I know that you will be well taken care of.” 

Cassiopeia huffed, her head dipping even further. 

“Oh, you like him plenty, Cassiopeia. He loves you, too.” Aerendis captured the creature’s face between her hands, resting her forehead against her muzzle. “But I will love you the most. Always.” 

The Faraax’s head snapped up at a sudden noise in the stables, darting towards the entrance of her pen to see what it was. A curious thing, she vocalized softly at the figure in the wide doorway. Aerendis joined her steed, peering around her long, muscular legs to see the unmistakable figure of the Mad Titan. Or rather… her husband to be. If not for his size and stature, she may not have recognized him now - helmet-less and wearing only the chestplate of his armor. Even dressed down, he was no less imposing than he had been upon entering the throne room earlier that day.

“My lord,” Aerendis addressed him, stepping out from behind Cassiopeia’s legs. She hadn’t the foggiest of what to call him. He was not yet her husband and was certainly not her love. ‘My lord’ would have to suffice. 

“Princess.” Thanos sounded surprised to see her.

Aerendis quickly and discreetly wiped away the tears from her eyes, though the pale blue flush in her cheeks surely gave her away. “To what do I owe the the pleasure of your company?” she asked, approaching. She could hear him scoff. But her words had not been said in mocking, but rather in curiosity.

“I, like many, I’m sure, have heard tales about this planet. Its armories. Its natural splendor.” Thanos’ expression soured. “And since the queen has refused to give me the power stone until after we are wed, there is naught to do but wander.” 

“Yes, she can be quite stubborn, the queen.” Her mother was certainly a force to be reckoned with. Aerendis slowly approached him, hands clasped behind her back. “Perhaps call the stone a wedding present, then. From me.” Shoulders shrugging, she briefly flashed a cheeky grin that he did not return. 

“And what is the princess doing at the stables at this late hour?” Thanos chose to ignore her last words, glancing away to take in the sight of the stables. 

“I find myself unable to sleep." The tone of her voice fell. “I am also… saying goodbye.” Her head turned to Cassiopeia once again, still standing just outside of her pen. The creature moved towards her, slowly, cautiously. Faraax didn’t take well to strangers. 

Aerendis felt Cassiopeia’s nose brush against her arm and she lifted a hand to gently stroke her muzzle. The creature hummed inquisitively, never taking her eyes off of Thanos. He met her gaze in kind, remembering that face from just hours ago.

“What do you call these creatures?” he asked.

“Faraax. This is Cassiopeia. She’s mine.” A somber expression took over her features as she turned to the creature, hand lifting away her thick fur. “In that pen over there -” She gestured to the first stall on the left. “-is her mother. Across the way is her father. They’ve all been hand-reared by my family. But Cassiopeia is mine, taken care of by me since her birth.” It was all she could do to swallow the sadness down before tears welled in her eyes once again. “I could not leave without saying goodbye to her.”

Thanos seemed to understand, replying with a simple nod of his head. Nerves suddenly caught in the princess’ chest, however. Making conversation with the one she was set to marry seemed difficult already. He was undoubtedly impatient, wanting nothing more than to hold the power stone in his hand and leave Tovarion forever. Their offer had meant a setback for him. Still, Aerendis could not help but be grateful.

After a pause, she took another step towards him. “Perhaps we should let them rest.” Releasing Cassiopeia, she moved swiftly past him and out into the cool night air. She could hear his own footsteps crunching in the dirt behind her. And as she suspected, the Faraax padded softly after them. A protector, a companion to accompany her in his presence.

Aerendis and Thanos began to walk slowly in stride, moving further away from the stables and into the lush palace gardens. “If I may…” she broke their silence not after long, clasping sweating palms together as her chin tilted up to capture his gaze. “I wanted to thank you. On behalf of my people. The offer to marry was my idea and I doubted that you would accept. I am grateful that you understood and allowed me to act in their best interest.” 

“They may call me many things, but I am not without mercy, princess,” he replied sharply. “You’ll be wise to remember that.” 

“I absolutely shall.” 

“Tovarion is an ancient culture,” he continued. “I could have easily killed your people and taken the stone, but even I can show leniency to one of the oldest worlds in the universe." He sighed. "In the end, the stone will be mine and life on Tovarion will go on as it has for millions of years.” 

For a moment, Aerendis thought he meant to continue, but only silence followed. There was something hidden beneath his words. Something that she could not decipher. Her brow furrowed. “Again, I thank you. I hope I will not disappoint as an emissary or as a wife.” It was difficult to read him, but she was certain that the marriage mattered as little to him as it did to her. There was only one thing he wanted from Tovarion. 

“Speaking of which, princess,” he said as they came upon the stone terrace that marked the barrier between the gardens and the city below. Cassiopeia lingered behind, grazing on the silvery grass that shone in the moonlight. “What am I to expect of tomorrow?”

Aerendis approached the half wall at the end of the paving, leaning against it to fix her eyes on the city skyline. Committing it to memory was her goal. “I will wake at dawn. I will spend the early morning at the temple. It is customary to make offerings to our gods - to ask them for their blessings and thank them for bringing about the union of spouses.” Her round lips pulled into a thin line. “Were you Tovari, your attendance would be required. But my mother thought it best not to…” She hummed, trying to find the right words. “...ask you to participate in more than she believes you wish to. If you keep any gods of your own, we can make accommodations --” 

“No, princess,” he replied simply. She could feel his gaze even as her own eyes danced across the rooftops below. “I do not.”

“Ah. Well, in that case… you and I will then spend the remainder of the day preparing for the ceremony. I will be attended by the women in my household. My mother, her sister, my companions. And you will have the men in your household.” It was more question than statement. Aerendis knew of the beings that had accompanied him earlier that day, but knew not if they were companions or servants. “My brother Erodhil will join you, since he will be your brother by law. If… that is fine by you.” 

Thanos did not seem entirely pleased, but, then again, he did not seem pleased by even a small part of this spectacle. “Very well.” 

“The ceremony will transpire at sundown, presided over by our high priestess. She will conduct all she can in the common tongue, though many parts require Tovari invocations.”

“Am I expected to know how your people conduct their weddings?” 

“She will guide us through,” Aerendis reassured him. “After that will be a reception. The guests will likely still carry on celebrating long after we have left Tovarion. Expect the wine to flow freely and the music to carry on all night long.” Drink and boisterous partying were never a good mix - and the Tovari certainly loved to do both. 

“It seems that we have a long day ahead of us, princess.” Thanos, too, was looking out across the city, now, not noticing as Aerendis finally turned to look at him. 

“That we do.”

The Titan pushed away from the wall, only throwing a passing glance at her as he turned to walk away. “Get some rest, princess.” 

“You should, too,” she called after him. 

As she watched him return to the palace, she leaned against the cold stone and heaved a great sigh. The weight of what was about to transpire began to slowly lower onto her. The closer it all came, the more real it seemed. With one more glance over her shoulder at her beautiful city, Aerendis slowly led Cassiopeia back through the gardens and to the stables. 

Rest did not come easily to her, but she found some comfort curled against her Faraax’s body. The warmth and slow ebbing of her breaths eventually lulled Aerendis into a fitful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed this chapter! Hubs and wifey finally got some time to chat! She doesn't know what to think of him yet, but - trust me - she'll get a good look at what he's all about soon. (Spoiler alert: She won't like it. Me @ me: remember you're writing a shippy fic, dude.)
> 
> And hey, maybe one day I'll really get a solid grip on Thanos' voice, but I dunno if that day is today. 
> 
> Thanks, as always, for reading! The wedding's happening in the next chapter, so things are really gonna start taking off! Thanks again <3


	6. Union

Amidst a flurry of individuals around her, Aerendis stared straight ahead at the reflection in the mirror. What she saw was a great Tovarion beauty staring back at her. One whose silvery skin glittered in the late afternoon sunlight, its luminescence only enhanced by an elegant sheen of soft makeup. Her long, dark hair was draped elegantly over her shoulders, half of it braided away from her face and held back with a glittering silver tiara. She looked every bit a Tovarion bride, but there was a solemnity in her eyes that no bride should ever have on her wedding day. 

A soft voice in her ear pulled Aerendis from her distant thoughts and back into the frenetic atmosphere of the room once again. 

“Aerendis, your dress.” 

The dressmaker, Olerys, had finally arrived - nearly too late by the queen’s account - trailed by a group of four handmaidens who held his creation delicately in their hands. He stopped before his princess and greeted her with a deep, flourishing bow. He seemed exhausted, and there was a tension in his smile that gave away his certain displeasure at having to deliver such an important gown on such short notice. 

“What do you think, your highness?” he asked, gesturing to her dress. 

Aerendis rose from her seat, reaching out to take a bit of the silken fabric between her fingers. “I cannot believe you’ve done this in a day,” she remarked, making an effort to flash a smile at the clearly relieved Olerys. “You have truly outdone yourself, my lord. It’s beautiful. Better than I could have imagined.”

It really was the most fabulous gown Olerys had ever made for her. Perfectly complementary to her elegant style while incorporating the colors and symbols of the royal family. It was a celebration of her and of Tovarion. All she wished was that she could have worn it on a day when her heart fluttered with happiness at marrying the one she loved instead of sunk with dread.

Olerys seemed floored. “Thank you, princess,” he gasped, bowing once again. “Thank you.” He required a moment to compose himself. “Shall… shall we see how it looks on you?” 

“Please. Though I suppose I don’t have much of a choice, now, do I?” Aerendis gestured for the handmaidens to bring the flowing garment closer. Illaria, who had been among them, assisted her in removing her robe so the others could help her step into the gown. 

Aerendis was breathless as they did up the buttons and she got her first glimpse at herself in the dress. It hugged her body perfectly from neck to hips, where it gave way to a waterfall of silver fabric that glittered with thousands of tiny jewels. Its bodice emulated traditional Tovari armor, with a silver breastplate that was intricately carved with images of the planet’s beautiful flora and fauna. Even its billowing sleeves, shoulderless and decorated with royal blue threading, flowed perfectly down to her wrists. There was not a single element of it that was not beautiful to her. 

In the mirror, Aerendis could see the queen’s eyes welling with tears. 

“ _Ama..._ ” 

Aredhyn stepped behind her daughter, gently placing her hands on her shoulders. There was a warmth and a sadness in her eyes that elicited a flutter in her daughter’s heart. “You look so beautiful, my darling.” One of her hands lifted to caress Aerendis’ cheek. 

“Thank you, Ama,” she replied with a smile.

“I only wish that your father was here to see you.”

Aerendis found no joy or anticipation in her wedding day, but she, too, felt the void left behind by her father. True, his spirit surrounded them, but still she longed for his embrace, his presence, and his counsel on such an important day in her life. Her heart was truly heavy, for far more than one reason.

“Do you really think he would have approved of my husband to be?” the princess asked, raising a brow.

Aredhyn chuckled, moving around to her daughter’s front. “Decidedly not.” A hand lovingly moved a strand of her hair from behind her shoulder, letting it brush against the dress’ shining breastplate. “But he would have been proud of you. Of your choice, of your sacrifice. Devastated to see you leave, yes. But so proud nonetheless.” A warm, yet wistful glance passed between them. “I am, too. As your queen and your mother.”

“Thank you, Ama.”

Their preparations continued with a custom that all Tovari brides partook in on their wedding day: the sharing of blessings from every woman in her household. Starting with the queen, each woman who had attended the princess presented her with a different Tovari flower. Aerendis sat as, one by one, they placed each bloom in her lap. From her mother, the flower that symbolized love. From her aunt, one that would bless her with strength. Then flowers for prosperity, fertility, wisdom, faith, and happiness. All represented a pillar of marriage on Tovarion. Aerendis would carry them with her into the temple and emerge with their blessings to guide her in her wedded life.

* * *

Trembling fingers clutched the bouquet as Aerendis stared out of the carriage that ushered her and her mother through the sprawling city streets and to the temple. All of Tovarion, it seemed, had gathered for the occasion. No doubt, they had heard of what their princess had done for them and flocked to her side on the day of her wedding to the one she had stopped from decimating their entire planet. They cheered as she passed, tossing flowers in the wake of her carriage and making declarations of gratitude that caused her heart to soar and sink all at once. 

Aerendis drank in the sight of them. Every face both young and old reminded her of why she had so confidently made such an impossible decision. Tovarion would endure. Tovarion would thrive. 

“Our people will never forget this, Aerendis,” the queen said, her eyes also watching the faces of those they passed on the cobbled streets of the city. 

“I know.” The princess turned her gaze to the great temple that rose high above the city skyline; a rectangular silver structure whose tall pillars reflected every hue of the sky above. Hundreds waited inside to watch their princess marry. Of course, the Mad Titan waited, too.

In her peripheral vision, Aerendis saw her mother remove something from around her neck. “Aerendis,” she said, extending a hand. The princess turned to see her mother’s amulet, its black stone catching the warmth of the setting sun in its many facets. “Take it.”

“But… that is the key to the vault.”

“And you have seen how to open the door,” the queen replied, pressing it into her daughter’s palm. “You are the one who extended this offer to Thanos. You must be the one to give him the stone.” 

“You are certain?”Aerendis asked, and her mother nodded silently in response. She stared, agape, at the necklace for a long moment before placing it around her own neck. “I will.” 

A softness came to the queen’s eyes. “It looks beautiful on you.”

“You think everything does, Ama.”

“Of course I do.” Aredhyn leaned forward to kiss her daughter’s forehead. “You are my daughter.”

The carriage slowed to a stop and one of the queensguard opened the door to assist his queen in exiting. Aerendis heard a roar of applause for her mother from those who waited outside of the temple. The queen had never been anything but loved by those that she served so faithfully.

“Princess?” the queensguard offered his hand to the princess this time, which she took. 

Cradling the small bunch of flowers in the crook of her other arm, she carefully stepped out of the carriage and into the large square that lay before the temple. As her gown billowed around her, she was met with a wall of sound. Cheers erupted from the people of Tovarion, flowers landed at her feet, words of blessings met her ears. 

A smile came and went as she moved towards the temple steps, where the high priestess Meylla awaited her arrival. Thanos stood by her side, clad in all his golden armor but his helm. 

The priestess bowed deeply before her queen and princess. “Your highnesses.” 

Aredhyn cupped her daughter’s cheek one last time, naught but love in her eyes as she withdrew to make her way up the temple steps. Erodhil waited for his mother at the top, and the two soon disappeared into the towering structure arm in arm.

“Princess,” Priestess Meylla continued with a kindly smile. “Take the arm of your betrothed and enter the house of the gods.” 

Meeting Thanos’ gaze briefly, Aerendis did just so, lacing a hand around his forearm and placing her fingers delicately on the back of his hand. This was the way that all Tovari couples passed through the doors to the temple on their wedding day; two souls entwined that would depart again as one. 

With him on the left and her on the right, they ascended the stairs. Aerendis held her head high despite the turmoil she felt inside; she was at peace with her choice, yet terrified all the same. On Tovarion, marriage was the most sacred of all promises that two individuals could make to one another. The sanctity of it was surely lost on him, an offworlder. This was merely another delay that separated him from the thing he had come to Tovarion to collect.

As the two of them reached the temple doors, the high priestess blessed them both using a branch of the Elder Tree. It was a symbol of life and faith for the Tovari people, having existed since the earliest days of their civilization. Many believed that it had originally sprouted from the soil that the gods had first touched after creating Tovarion. The sweet aroma of its white leaves filled Aerendis’ nose as Priestess Meylla touched it to her head, and then did the same to Thanos.

“With this blessing, the gods shall watch over you as leave behind your lives as individuals and take your first steps together,” the high priestess said, gesturing for them to proceed into the temple. 

The woodsy smell of incense flooded over them as they passed through the stone doors and into the expansive house of the Tovari gods. Its pillars extended hundreds of feet upwards, meeting in a buttressed ceiling that bore statues depicting the four gods in each of its corners. Between each pillar, paneled windows allowed the evening sunlight to stream into the temple and bathe all present in its warm glow. At night, the same windows gave those at prayer an uninhibited view of the starlit sky above.

The temple was a familiar sight to Aerendis, who had spent a good portion of her life inside its walls. As a young girl, she had received several scoldings from her mother after chasing her brother around the atrium. As she emerged into adulthood, she had made her official dedication to the gods before all the priestesses and priests in the temple. Now, no longer a girl or young woman, she had come to make her most sacred promise of all.

Lining either side of the aisle that led to the silver altar stood hundreds of onlookers - nobles, royals, commoners, members of Thanos’ army. Aerendis felt every pair of eyes following them as they passed. The temple would have been all but silent if not for the soft, lulling music that accompanied their ascent to the altar. 

It was likely the first time two souls had entered the temple to marry with no desire to do so. Something beyond nervousness twisted inside of Aerendis’ stomach. On the outside, however, she was a picture of grace and nobility. 

Her silver dress flowed behind her as the two of them walked up the steps to the altar. The Priestess Meylla followed, beginning the prayer that opened every Tovari wedding ceremony. Sung in the planet’s native tongue, it was a prayer that invoked the gods to make holy this day in the lives of the two who had come to be wed. The high priestess also called upon them for their protection of Tovarion and to ensure its continued prosperity. 

With the conclusion of the opening prayer, Priestess Meylla clasped her hands together. “Here we stand,” she continued in the common tongue, her voice echoing throughout the temple. “In the sight of gods and men, to witness the union of wife and husband. Aerendis, Princess Royal of Tovarion, and Thanos of Titan have come together before the gods to enter into the fellowship of marriage.”

Aerendis let out a soft sigh, her eyes falling shut for a brief moment. That knotting feeling only grew tighter.

“The princess will now present her husband with her bridegift.” 

It was common for both halves of a Tovari couple to present the other with a gift - typically a family heirloom or some other item of sentimental value. Of course, Thanos was no Tovari and, as such, had surely prepared no gift for Aerendis. She supposed, however, that his gift had already come in the form of salvation for her people.

Erodhil stepped forward, delicately balancing a shining greatsword across both of his hands. He exchanged the heavy weapon for the flowers that his sister was carrying. As the sword settled into Aerendis’ hands, she ran a thumb against the intricately-carved blade. A lump formed in her throat.

“The sword of her father, King Erborg,” Priestess Meylla said, gesturing for the princess to transfer it to Thanos. “A symbol of strength and protection to guide you both in your years together.” 

The greatsword was dwarfed in the Titan’s hands. It had seemed an imposing weapon in Aerendis’ youth, when she would see it on her father’s hip during every formal occasion. The first time he had let her hold it, she nearly fell over under its weight. Pure Tovari silver, nigh indestructible. It was a weapon fit for a king. Now it sat at her husband’s side, as it would for the rest of their days together. 

Another prayer in Tovari followed, one that Aerendis dreaded to hear but knew must be included in every wedding ritual. A blessing on her father’s sword that they would one day pass it to their child. Her eyes flitted to Thanos, deeply thankful that he did not speak their language.

The presentation of the bridegift complete, Priestess Meylla stepped closer to them with her arms outstretched. “Take one another by the hand.”

Thanos offered his hand first. The princess took it, placing her own hand gently atop his open palm. As his long fingers closed entirely around it, the high priestess began to tightly encircle their joined hands in a piece of silk. 

“May the fabric of your marriage go forever unbroken,” she said as she tied the silk into a knot. “May the gods’ watchful eyes never close on you. May you become one heart from this day until the end of time. What the gods have joined together, let no being, creature, or force seek to tear asunder.” She untied the ribbon, leaving their hands still holding the other and the blessing brought to fruition. 

The soft music that had guided them to the altar continued, filing the silence in this, the sacred moment when wife and husband were joined together. All the while, Aerendis kept her hand inside of Thanos’. 

“Now you shall make your vows to one another, here before your witnesses both mortal and divine,” Priestess Meylla eventually continued. “Turn and face one another.” 

Both Aerendis and Thanos were equally expressionless as they turned and met the other’s eyes. They must have seemed laughably uncomfortable to all those who watched them. The people of Tovarion had never seen such a somber pair agree to join together in matrimony. 

“Thanos of Titan, please speak these words to your bride,” the priestess said to him. “I take you as my wife, vowing to cherish and protect you.”

Aerendis saw his jaw tighten. “I take you as my wife, vowing to cherish and protect you,” he repeated flatly. 

“In times of good fortune and in times of adversity,” she continued.

“In times of good fortune and in times of adversity.”

“I will honor you and be faithful to you from now until my final day.”

He drew in a deep breath. “I will honor you and be faithful to you from now until my final day.”

Priestess Meylla turned to her princess next. “Aerendis of Tovarion, please speak these words to your groom: I take you as my husband, vowing to cherish and protect you.”

Aerendis knew these vows meant nothing to Thanos, but in the eyes of her gods, they were as sacred as any prayer. She felt her mouth go dry. “I take you as my husband, vowing to cherish and protect you.” 

“In times of good fortune and in times of adversity.”

“In times of good fortune and in times of adversity.” She was breathless as her heart pounded against her chest.

“I will honor you and be faithful to you from now until my final day.”

“I will honor you,” Aerendis took a breath, “and be faithful to you from now until my final day.”

Priestess Meylla turned to the altar, retrieving a large silver goblet bearing a dark red Tovari wine. “From this cup shall wife and husband drink,” she said, clasping it tightly in both hands. “This cup that I bless in the name of the gods, that they may, in turn, bless you in your everlasting union.”

She handed the goblet to Aerendis first. As the princess took a sip from it, she continued: “From this moment forth, you shall share everything in life. You shall double the other’s joys and halve the other’s sorrows.” Priestess Meylla watched the princess hand the cup to Thanos, who also drank from it. “You shall bear the burdens of the other and exalt their triumphs. Together you shall live in harmony, sharing in all things equally.”

Placing the cup aside, the priestess brought their hands together once again. Her next prayer was for only them, a wish for the newly married couple that only they would hear. Aerendis had bore witness to countless weddings in her life and always wondered what the priestess whispered to those who stood at the altar. A secret, personal thing meant for those who had pledged their lives to one another. The moment seemed decidedly less romantic and intimate now that she was the one to marry.

“Now you shall feel no storm, for you will be the other’s shelter,” Priestess Meylla began, her eyes closed and her voice soft. “You shall feel no cold, for you will be the other’s warmth. There shall be no loneliness, for you will be the other’s companion. There shall be no sorrow, for you will be the other’s comfort.”

Aerendis saw Thanos glance at her from the corner of her eye. Did he find these words as hollow as she?

“You have come as two souls, but there is only one life before you. You will share this life together, as the gods have intended for you. May happiness always be your companion and your days together be good and long.”

“Thank you,” Aerendis breathed, though her words hardly brought her the joy that she should have felt on what was supposed to have been such a happy day.

“Here, under the ever-watchful eyes of the gods,” Priestess Meylla said, addressing all in attendance once again. “Have these two individuals dedicated their lives to one another. From this day until the day they join their ancestors in the realm beyond. Look upon one another, now, as husband and wife, and seal your vows with a kiss.” 

Priestess Meylla looked to the princess almost apologetically, but Aerendis knew it had been coming. No Tovari wedding ended without the couple displaying one final act of their dedication to one another through a kiss before the altar of the gods. 

Aerendis, whose hand was still clasped in Thanos’ grasp, turned her eyes upward once again. The Tovari were by no means a small people, but his stature far surpassed her own. Almost comically so. 

There was a distinct silence in the temple as all those present waited for the newly wed couple to come together in their first kiss. Aerendis watched as Thanos dropped to one knee before her, bringing him to just above her own height. His eyes were blue, something she had not noticed before. Eyes that had seen much conquest and destruction over the years. Eyes that closed along with her own as the two of them drew closer. 

Her lips met his in a gentle whisper of a kiss, though there was no closeness or affection between them. There was, however, a softness in his lips that Aerendis did not expect. A softness no doubt brought upon by the timidness and brevity of the kiss. As both quickly pulled away again and he rose back to his full height, their guests erupted into applause. 

“With the gods’ favor, I hereby pronounce you wife and husband - and shall be forever more,” Priestess Meylla concluded. 

Aerendis felt a weight lift from her shoulders now that it was over. But she had no newlywed glow about her as the applause from all those in attendance continued. She exchanged a swift glance with her now husband. If there was one thing that they could agree upon, it was that they both wanted this ordeal to end sooner rather than later. But the sun had only just set and night was still so very young.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who finally got down to getting married! Finally!!!
> 
> I drew inspiration for the wedding ceremony from a mix of Viking, Orthodox, Game of Thrones, and like three other kinds of traditional wedding ceremonies. I hope it made sense and that you've enjoyed watching these two poor, miserable souls marrying one another! 
> 
> Thanks, as always, for reading! I really appreciate your excitement about this fic. I'm having such a blast writing it.


	7. Claiming His Prize

Aerendis’ fingers played idly with the pendant around her neck as she sat beside her husband at the long table that overlooked their grand wedding feast. More Tovari were in attendance now than had been at the ceremony itself. The great hall was overflowing with noblemen, merchants, and everyone in between. 

Jolly guests bumped into one another while touting full goblets of wine and ale. Palace servants weaved among them, carrying entire platters of meat and bread and Tovari delicacies. A band of musicians accompanied all of the activity in the hall, enticing a select few of the attendees to dance. 

It was a joyous event, no doubt, but not for the two who the occasion was celebrating. Aerendis had merely sipped on wine all night, with hardly an appetite to persuade her to eat a thing. She had not seen Thanos eat anything either. He had spent the reception thus far with a sullen expression, tapping his fingers impatiently against the armrest of his chair.

All evening, the two of them had been fielding short visits from well wishers and those who offered their gratitude for Tovarion’s enduring safety. Some had even come bearing gifts for the newly wed couple. Trinkets, mostly - all of them handmade from the many artists and artisans that called the planet home. Aerendis appreciated each one, even if she knew that the sentiment held little meaning in this, merely a political marriage.

“The Lord and Lady of Weyrhall, your highnesses,” the queen’s hand announced, drawing Aerendis from her thoughts and into the hall once again. 

The pair bowed before them. “Princess,” the woman said with a nod.

“Lady Haela,” Aerendis replied, flashing a kindly smile at their guests. She had known the lady and her husband since her youth. They hailed from a great house with ancestry that dated back to Tovarion’s earliest days.

The Lady looked to Thanos next, eyes almost fearful as she bowed her head. “My… lord?” she considered. “No, that isn’t right, is it?” She looked to Aerendis. 

“Technically, by marriage…” the princess began, turning to her husband. “You are prince of Tovarion.” 

Thanos seemed unimpressed by the mere thought of it, as correct as Aerendis was. “Those who serve me refer to me as ‘sire.’ That will suffice.”

“Sire,” Lady Haela repeated, bowing once again. “My husband and I congratulate you on your marriage. We have brought gifts.” She gestured to their servant, who stepped forward with a gleaming silver bow and a quiver to match. “For you, princess, to take and use in your far away travels. May it protect you always.” 

The princess’ eyes were wide as she watched the flames of the torches in the hall flicker in the smooth surface of the bow. “Thank you, my lord and lady. I look forward to drawing it for the first time.”

Another servant stepped forward with their second gift, one that Aerendis immediately recognized. She shifted in her seat, feeling an unwanted warmth flood to her cheeks. “We also present you a naming blanket, your highnesses,” Lady Haela said. “That the gods may bless you with a healthy child.”

Aerendis’ smile tightened. It was tradition for at least one wedding guest to present the new couple with a naming blanket for their future child. She knew not what the gods had planned for her, but she was certain that she would find no family aboard a warship. “Thank you again. You honor us with your gifts, my lord and lady. Please enjoy the festivities.” 

With another bow, the two retreated to their table once again, leaving Aerendis and Thanos alone at their own table. The princess swiftly reached for her goblet, taking a much longer sip from it this time. 

More well wishers followed with more gifts for them - all the while, the princess smiled at each individual and offered thanks from both her and her husband. As the well wishers tapered off and resumed their frivolities, Aerendis slumped back in her seat. She had never known a Tovari affair to be so tiring, and had certainly never known herself to not enjoy such a raucous feast. Still, the wine kept on flowing and the music kept on playing, so it was not all bad, she supposed.

Eventually, a pair of women that Aerendis didn’t recognize approached the long table, stopping to kneel before her husband. 

“Ah,” Thanos remarked. “Daughters.”

Aerendis’ head snapped towards him, brow creased. How… unexpected. Nearly every aspect of this union seemed to be. 

“Father.” The dark-haired woman rose to her feet first, followed by the one with the piercing all-black eyes. Aerendis looked them both over with interest. The one had skin a beautiful hue of green she had never set eyes on before and the other had skin of a pale blue and seemed to be made partly of machine. Neither one resembled Thanos. They did not even resemble one another. Perhaps they took after their mothers. 

Thanos turned to her. “Princess, I present my daughters. Gamora and Nebula.”

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” Aerendis replied, flashing a kindly grin towards the two women. No such smile came back her way. “I... suppose we shall be seeing quite a lot of one another.”

“Not likely,” Nebula said flatly. 

Gamora noticed the slightly wounded expression on the princess’ face and turned to her sister, frowning. “What my sister means is that we are seldom on the ship, princess.”

“Your father must keep the two of you very busy.”

“Yes, we do a great deal for father’s cause.”

Aerendis’ head tilted slightly. She’d dealt in diplomacy long enough to know exactly how to read others, and there was something in Gamora’s tone that conveyed a certain displeasure with that fact. 

“Well, you can both relax and enjoy yourselves tonight,” the princess continued, her warm smile returning. “At least, I hope that you are. Please do let me know if there is anything that you need. I will have someone arrange rooms for you for the night, as well.” 

“You are a gracious host, princess,” Gamora said, as she and Nebula bowed their heads. 

Aerendis watched the pair retreat into the hall, disappearing amongst a sea of Tovari and offworlders alike. She turned to her husband. “They are lovely.”

“They are formidable warriors,” Thanos corrected her. “Gamora more so. They have trained their entire lives.”

“I am sure they’ve flourished under your tutelage.”

“I would have accepted no less.”

Aerendis felt a knot form in her stomach. It was one thing to be a harsh leader, but to be a harsh parent was something else entirely. She could not imagine such an upbringing for a child. 

“Are they your only daughters?” A reasonable question, she thought, if only for her own sake. By law, she was stepmother to any child that called him ‘father.’ 

“I have many children,” Thanos replied. Noting the way her eyebrows raised, he continued. “Orphans that I took under my wing.”

“Ah,” Aerendis hummed. “I look forward to meeting them.” A half truth. There was nothing to look forward to in her future, aside from a prosperous home planet and many years spent floating through the beauty of the cosmos.

Husband and wife fell back into their previous silence as the night wore on. The guests grew more boisterous and rowdy the more they drank. The music grew louder as more joined the dancers out on the floor. Aerendis watched them intently, eyes wistful as she looked upon their joyful faces and saw how they danced without a care in all the world. It gave her hope to see them. 

There was a time not long ago when she would have joined in their gaiety, danced the night away in their midst. But the nerves simmering inside her left her as still as a statue beside her new husband. Her goblet of wine never left her hand, even as Illaria stepped in every now and then to fill it to the brim once again. As strong as Tovari wine was, it was not enough to give her more than a feeling of warmth and a slight flush in her cheeks. She doubted that she had drunk even half as much as those who now found themselves stumbling over benches, tables, and one another. Even so, all the casks on Tovarion would not have been enough for her on this night.

All evening, Aerendis sensed her husband’s growing displeasure at being made to wait any longer for the stone. The festivities showed no signs of slowing down, let alone stopping. She knew they would continue for long after they departed.

As some of the partygoers began to slump over the long tables, their drunken haze carrying them off into a deep sleep, Aerendis heard Thanos let out a great sigh before rising from his seat. 

“Are you retiring for the night?” she asked, turning her gaze upward toward his face. A grin tugged at her lips, forming a single dimple in her flushed right cheek. “Or have you finally decided to have a dance?”

Evidently, her joke was not well received; the lines of his face deepened in a scowl. “I do not dance, princess.” He sounded almost offended as he turned to meet her gaze. “I upheld my end of our deal. Take me to the stone.” 

He gave her no time to respond as he moved swiftly past her. She quickly rose to her feet, glancing to the nearest table where her mother and brother sat. Her fingers pressed the black amulet between them; a signal to the queen that the time had come. A nervous look passed from mother to daughter. 

“Follow me,” she said, hurrying to keep in stride with her husband. “It is a bit of a descent into the vaults.”

“I don’t care.”

-

Husband and wife proceeded through the palace halls, which were eerily silent in the absence of all the noise of the wedding feast. All but the odd guard seemed to still be there; Aerendis had never known her home to feel so utterly empty. There was only the two of them, the sound of their footsteps, and the soft rustling of her gown.

Before long, they came upon the beautifully carved wall that held the staircase into the lower vault behind it. Was Thanos about to become only the fourth person alive to know of this door’s existence? 

“I don’t see the stone, princess,” Thanos began, exasperation lacing each word. “Don’t think that you--”

Aerendis tsked, glancing over her shoulder at him. “This is no trick. You shall have your prize.”

Removing the necklace, she mirrored her mother’s exact movements from the night before. The pendant fit perfectly into its place at the center of the relief, in the exact spot where each of the gods’ hands connected. The same white light flickered to life from where the stone sat, following each line of the image until the entire wall cast a bright glow on them and the room behind them.

As the staircase behind revealed itself, Aerendis gestured for her husband to proceed down the stone steps. “This is where the stone has been kept hidden all these years,” she said, slowly following him down the winding stairs. “I did not even know of its presence until last night. I can’t imagine how you came to know that it was here.”

“I have been searching for the stones all my life, princess,” Thanos replied. “I find the information I seek… eventually. In this case, you have a loose-lipped Asgardian noble to thank.” 

“Loose-lipped? Or subjected to torture?” Aerendis asked bitterly. 

The small chuckle that left his throat caused her heart to sink. “He served his purpose.”

The weight of his words was enough to silence her as they finished their descent. The room was the same as it had been the previous night; vast and empty save for the orb that housed the power stone and the pedestal that held it. But the air in the great chamber felt heavier today. Aerendis wondered if her husband could hear her heart pounding as he stepped away from her and towards the orb. 

A large hand extended, plucking the object from where it hovered with little hesitation. It seemed such an innocuous thing as it rolled into his palm. Yet the princess knew of its destructive properties; knew that many had likely sought its power over the millennia. Thanos had been the only one mad enough to take it for himself.

Aerendis moved to his side, enraptured as she looked upon the orb. “You know… in all my years, I’d always thought that the Infinity Stones were no more than a myth. Yet one was right here, beneath my very feet.”

“And now you will behold it with your own eyes. I doubt even your mother has done so,” Thanos replied, his other hand settling on the top of the orb. Fingers tightening around the object, he pulled it apart into two identical halves.

A blinding purple glow emitted from the orb’s interior, the light reflecting off of Aerendis’ colorless irises. There lay the power stone, humming, pulsating with energy. It was such a small thing, but one that she knew carried utterly dangerous properties. She and Thanos must have been the first to lay eyes on it in millennia. 

“It’s different than I had imagined,” Aerendis breathed, her eyes wide and mouth agape as she stared at the stone. It was as beautiful as it was frightening. She had never beheld anything like it. Not even the rarest Tovari jewel could compare.

“And more powerful than you could know,” Thanos replied, a satisfied grin on his lips. The sullen disposition that had followed him the entire day had melted away, leaving behind an unmistakable twinkle in his eye. 

“Clearly… why else would my people and the Asgardians have gone to such lengths to keep it hidden all these years?” 

“It is no longer their burden to bear.” His smile remained as he turned away from her, long strides carrying him toward the exit of the chamber.

“Where are you going?” Aerendis asked as she rushed after him. 

“Bringing the stone to my ship.” Thanos stopped, barely looking over his shoulder at her. “Enjoy your feast, princess. Get some sleep. We depart in the morning.” 

Brow furrowed, Aerendis drew in a breath to reply, but he moved quickly and deliberately up the staircase that would lead him out of the vault once again. He was far enough ahead that she did not catch even a glimpse of him as she, too, exited the vaults, and found herself in the palace halls again. This time, there was not a soul around aside from her. 

The feast felt like no place for her on this night, so she soon retired to her chambers, where she slumped into her favorite seat on the balcony that overlooked the sprawling city below and the vast night’s sky above. She could think of no better place to spend her last night on her home planet than the spot where she could take in all of its beauty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally who is surprised to see hubby and wifey so Big Angry at their fancy wedding feast? But hey, enter Gamora and Nebula! I'm very much looking forward to exploring their relationship with Aerendis in future chapters. She's gonna need to learn what to do with her grown up killing machine stepdaughters, but she'll win them over........ maybe. c;
> 
>  
> 
> Always and forever, thank you all for reading! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> Let me know what you think, what you'd like to see, or what you'd like to ask (if you have any questions)!


	8. Until We Meet Again

A dense, silvery fog had settled on the capital city and surrounding overnight, and a distinct crispness had followed it. Aerendis found herself straining to see through it as the sound of the palace servants removing the last remnants of her possessions echoed in her now empty chambers. If not for her impending departure, it would have been as typical a morning as any on Tovarion. A typical fog, through which she could hear the familiar squawking of the fowl that made their nests in the trees and the growing commotion of the city as it slowly came to life for the day. 

Yet a heaviness shrouded her and a melancholy sallowed her cheeks on this particular morning. Even through the fog, she could still see her husband’s warship looming overhead, its red lights flickering through the mist. Aerendis wished she could get one last glimpse at her beautiful city, of the silvery hills that sparkled with the afternoon sunlight, or the distant ocean whose gentle waves had always beckoned her. 

All morning, she had barely said a word to anyone - only a “yes” or “no” spoken every so often as servants asked if this item or that item was to be transported to the warship. Her cloak of royal blue fluttered at her ankles in the soft morning wind, the fur around her neck tickling her cheeks. Silver trimmed the entire outfit, a form-fitted grey cloth jacket clasped together down the front with elegant stitching and buttons, and slim trousers to match. Sensible not only for the cold morning air, but also a love letter to the royal family and to the home she was soon to leave behind.

“Princess Aerendis, will you have something to eat before you depart?” one of her mother’s handmaidens asked - no, begged - for what seemed like the tenth time. 

She shook her head. She had no appetite to speak of, only a knot of nerves rolling and twisting inside her. 

Others stopped to ask her a few more times as the room emptied over the next minutes, hour - she did not know. When the sound of shuffling feet and clunking wood died down, Aerendis finally turned away from the balcony. All the contents were gone save for a few small pieces of furniture. These had been her chambers since her birth. To see it so empty for the first time elicited a feeling akin to grief in her chest. She began to pace, taking in the image of the room’s tree-like wooden beams, its large, ornate windows, its floor, weathered from millennia of use. 

There was no mistaking the sound of footsteps as they approached through the open door. Aerendis heard the individual’s feet snap together and she turned to see one of her mother’s servants in a deep bow. “Princess, your belongings have been moved to the ship, along with your handmaiden’s.” 

“Thank you,” she replied, her voice soft yet it still seemed to echo throughout the room.

“Your husband - erm, his highness... ” he spoke the last two words through gritted teeth. “- awaits your arrival, princess.”

“Then I should not keep him waiting.”

With another bow, the servant left her once again. Aerendis stood, rigid as stone, as his footsteps slowly retreated down the long hallway. There was a part of her that wanted to stay here, pretend as though no one would come looking for her as she did. Or, she could mount her Faraax and ride to the other side of the world, to where the mountain clan lived in secluded huts in the coldest regions of Tovarion. 

But such thoughts were for children, not for a princess who had duties to her family, her people, and her husband alike. 

Saying a silent goodbye to the chambers that had served her so well over the years, Aerendis began the long walk through the palace and out to where her husband expected her. She could still hear the lively music playing from inside the great hall from the party that had gone on all night and would continue as such for days on end. The sweet, tinny aroma of Tovari wine and the warm smell of bread from the kitchens filled her nostrils as she passed. There was nothing that she would not miss about home. 

Though Aerendis had left many times before, the promise of return had always been at her fingertips. This time, there was no telling when her feet would touch Tovari soil again. The realization of that fact was as harsh as the cold morning air bit at her skin.

“Aerendis,” the queen’s voice echoed throughout the hall, followed by a flurry of footsteps behind her. Her mother was rarely without her entourage. It was even more unsurprising that she would have so many handmaidens and guards at her side on this day. 

“Ama.” Aerendis replied with a certain shock in her own voice. “I thought you would be outside already.”

“I have a great many places to be today,” Aredhyn replied. “But your side is where I want to be most right now.” Her arms enveloped her daughter, pulling her into a hug far tighter than any Aerendis could remember. Yet the princess did not object or make any utterance of discomfort, only sinking into her mother’s warm embrace and wrapping her own arms around her.

“I suppose this is goodbye,” Aerendis whispered with a distinct tremble in her voice.

“No,” the queen replied, pulling away to take her daughter’s face gently between her hands. “Not goodbye.” Their foreheads touched and both pairs of eyes - identical in their round shape and hue of grey - closed. “Until we see one another again.” Whether in this life or the next, Tovari would always reunite with their people in the end.

“I like that much better.” 

“So do I.” A thumb caressed Aerendis’ cheek before falling away. The pair began their slow walk through the halls together, followed closely by the others.

“Ama, I am afraid that I won’t know how to be a wife to him,” Aerendis confessed. “There is no love between us. I bear no loyalty to him aside from the vows I spoke in the temple. How am I to serve a conqueror? A warlord?”

“You can only serve as you have promised. You have offered diplomacy and that is what you shall give. This does not mean that you will need to fight for him. Frankly, I cannot see you ever agreeing to such a thing.” Aredhyn glanced lovingly at her daughter, her fierce girl with a quick tongue who had been fortunate enough to never have experienced true battle in all her days. “You have a gentle, good heart, my love. Such a heart may have no place on a warship, but I know it will guide you nonetheless. And it will most certainly bring you at odds with your husband at times.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Aerendis sighed. “I suppose, at the very least, that I will never have a dull moment.”

“No, you won’t.” 

The queen chuckled, locking arms with her daughter as the two proceeded through the palace gates and down the vast staircase that ended in the stone square below. All the way down, Aerendis glanced one last time over the city - at each shop and home, at the residents who went about their day. Her eyes ultimately fell on Thanos, who stood with his daughters by his right side and the others who served him by his left. Illaria waited, too, hands clasped uncomfortably before her as she stood by such a menacing group. 

“It seems as though I have kept you waiting yet again,” Aerendis said to her husband, a grin hiding behind her eyes. She found a certain enjoyment in his displeasure already; that frown of his was one she was certain she would see a great many times in the coming years. “The power stone is secure on your ship, I take it.”

“Yes, princess,” Thanos replied. As usual, he sounded exasperated by her. “You upheld your end of our bargain.”

“And I hope to continue to do so.” Her mother was right, however. She knew their opinions would clash time and time again, despite her promises to him. 

“If you’ve said your goodbyes, we will--”

“Rena!” Thanos was cut off as Erodhil came barreling down the palace steps, breathless and flushed in the face. His shoulder-length black hair was as unkempt as his outfit, which he hurriedly attempted to straighten as he caught a stern glance from their mother. “Rena... my gods. I did not realize that you were departing so early.”

“I see you’ve been enjoying my wedding feast,” Aerendis replied, a single brow raised. “Have you been up all night?”

“Well, yes, but...” he began, his eyes flitting to Thanos for a brief moment. “Haven’t you?”

Aerendis, too, turned to meet her husband’s gaze briefly, a similarly furrowed expression on his face. “No," she said a bit too forcefully. "I merely woke early to pack my things.” 

“You should have returned to the hall to have a drink with me.”

“I wish I had had the time.” Aerendis stepped toward her brother, arms wrapping around him. “Carry on celebrating for me, big brother.” She remembered her mother’s words from before. “Until we see each other again.” 

“Yes, until then,” he echoed, his grip around her tightening. 

“I hope that day will come soon.” Aerendis knew he did as well. They had always been an inseparable pair, practically since her birth. What would he do, now, without all her wisdom to guide him? “I wish you all the health and happiness in the world, brother. Remember all I have told you and you will come to be a great king one day.”

Erodhil scoffed and drew back to scowl at her. “I already would be!” But the look she returned caused his frown to soften. He digressed and sunk once again into their embrace. “I will miss you, Rena.” His voice dropped to a volume that only she could hear. “Please be safe. Look out for yourself. I will pray for you every day. I hope you will find even a semblance of happiness in your new life. You deserve nothing less.”

“Thank you, Erodhil.” Drawing away, her lips turned up into a coy grin. “Look at you, a sentimental prince.”

“Hm.” His stoicism belied the sadness she knew brewed beneath the surface. Aerendis could see that he was seconds from crumbling.

“I will pray for you, too. And I will miss you every day.”

“May the gods guide you home.” Words spoken to any Tovari who left the planet. A simple wish, a prayer, to follow them wherever they may travel. 

Aerendis drew him into one last hug. “I love you, brother.”

“I love you, too,” Erodhil mumbled into her hair before letting her go.

The queen embraced her daughter almost as quickly as her son stepped back, pressing a loving kiss to her cheek. “Be well, my love. Gods guide you on your journey across the stars. I will see you again soon.”

“That’s a promise,” Aerendis murmured, basking in the warm comfort of her mother’s arms for just a moment longer.

“I love you, so very much.”

“And I love you, Ama.”

Tears brimmed in Aerendis’ eyes, eliciting a similarly misty-eyed glance from her mother. But the princess blinked them away as she turned toward her husband. Even as this all transpired, it somehow still felt like a dream - one from which she desperately hoped to wake. But the sweetness of the trees filling her nostrils and the soft, cool wisp of morning air that brushed her cheek told her that she was not sleeping. 

Grasping Illaria’s hand in hers, a bright sheath of light surrounded them. Just as a weightless feeling overtook her, she caught her mother’s gaze one final time before the darkness of the warship engulfed her and Tovarion lay far, far beneath her feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I broke my weekly posting streak on accident because I may or may not have created Aerendis and Thanos in the Sims and have may or may not been playing a LOT in the past couple of weeks. (Spoiler alert: they aren't getting along due to clashing evil/good traits.)
> 
> Here's a kind of interim chapter for your enjoyment - I had planned on including more than just Aerendis' goodbyes, but the second half of the chapter ended up so long that I split them. I'll be posting the rest of this part within the next day! Sorry if this one's a little slow and/or boring as a result!
> 
> Thanks, as always, for reading and I hope you're enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for all the kudos and comments. It really warms my purple husband-loving heart.


	9. Generosity

Aerendis’ nose wrinkled as she and Illaria followed Thanos and Gamora through the seemingly endless passageways of the warship. It could not have been a farther stretch from Tovarion. Light, open spaces and marble halls had given away to harsh, oppressive architecture cast in dark materials unlike any she had seen before. She refused to touch a thing, filthy as it was in comparison to the immaculate spaces she was accustomed to. Her hands kept balled into tight fists at her side for the entire walk through the ship.

And the air - it stung at her eyes and nose. A tinny aroma of metal mixed with suffocating smoke and the pungence of the Chitauri footsoldiers that passed by. It reeked of war. 

After passing what seemed like hundreds of identical rooms, they stopped before the door to what Aerendis knew would be her chambers. 

“Princess.” Thanos motioned for her to enter the room. 

As she did, she was met with the familiar sight of her possessions, already sitting in their designated places. Still, the walls that framed them were the same black shade as the rest of the ship. Tovari designs could not have looked more out of place. There was but one feature that brought her joy; the great window that would look out over the cosmos as they drifted by. Now, it framed the ever-shrinking form of Tovarion. Aerendis couldn’t peel her eyes away.

“Your servants were meticulous,” Thanos noted, lingering in the doorway with Gamora still by his side. There was a slight annoyance in his voice that told her that her people must have made many demands on her behalf when arranging chambers. She would say a prayer for them tonight. 

“Yes, they were. It looks wonderful,” Aerendis replied, her eyes still fixed on the window.

“Your handmaiden’s chambers are across from yours, princess,” Gamora added. 

“Thank you.” The princess’ voice remained distant. 

“I would not advise wandering the ship on your own,” Thanos said. It was not a warning, but there was no great care behind his words either. “Not without myself or one of my daughters to guide you. Not yet.”

“I’m sure I will learn the layout of the ship one day.” Aerendis glanced over her shoulder briefly. “Hopefully sooner rather than later.” 

“Indeed,” he replied. “Now, I have work to attend to. I trust you are hungry. I will send someone with food for you.”

Before Aerendis could utter a word of thanks, she heard the door slide shut once again. She could not say that she was not surprised. His prize finally secured, he was certain to devote his full attention to it for the time being. And there was no reason to stay with her now. She had already gathered that he was distant by nature and anything but affectionate. Spending the day with his new wife was surely low on his list of priorities.

Aerendis slumped into her armchair, which provided a view of the window on which her eyes were still locked. “Illaria?” she asked softly, and her handmaiden was quick to join her by her side. The princess clasped her hand tightly around hers.

“Aerendis.”

“I was hoping this was a dream,” she said with a heavy sigh. “But it isn’t, is it?”

“I’m afraid not,” Illaria replied, a certain solemnity in her own voice. 

“I’m glad you’re with me. Even though I am still cross that you wouldn’t stay behind.”

Illaria chuckled. “You aren’t the only stubborn one here.”

“Mm,” Aerendis hummed. “And what have these two stubborn Tovari women gotten themselves into?”

* * *

Hours passed - Aerendis did not know how many - without incident or visit from any familiar face. As promised, someone eventually brought food for the two of them. The princess still found herself without an appetite, however, as knotted as her stomach still was. Despite the urgings of Illaria, she could not take even a bite.

Princess and handmaiden soon dressed down for the evening, removing their cloaks and furs and donning something more comfortable for leisure. Lest boredom overtake them in their seclusion, the pair ultimately decided on a card game to waste their evening on. An excellent choice on the part of Illaria - soon, it was as though they were in the palace again, lounging on Aerendis’ bed and laughing as they won and lost hands of cards. 

A knock at the door drew their attention from their game and Illaria rose to see who was calling on the princess. Aerendis, who was pulling the cards into a pile to shuffle them, heard her handmaiden’s surprised voice behind her. “Oh - my lord. Please, come in.” Lumbering footsteps followed her as she approached her princess. “Your husband is here.”

Aerendis slid off of the bed, her pale blue evening gown flowing elegantly down to her feet. Thanos was without any armor for the first time in her presence, yet he was no less imposing as he towered over her. Still, she offered a small smile. “I see you’ve finished the work you needed to attend to.”

“My work is never done, princess,” Thanos said, his eyes wandering about her chambers for a brief moment. “But for the evening, yes.”

“Good. Would you… care to join us in a game of cards?” Aerendis felt silly for even asking, but the gesture had already been extended. 

“No.” He shifted in place. “I came to see if your food had been delivered, and if you have settled in.”

Aerendis’ head tilted slightly. “That is very thoughtful.” Something she had not expected. “Yes, actually. It was. And we have been enjoying our day well enough thus far.” 

“I also understand that I failed to present you with a wedding gift.” She was beginning to sense something verging on discomfort in her husband’s body language. It elicited a grin from her.

“You couldn't have been expected to know our customs.” Though, the salvation of her planet had been a gift in itself.

“I do have a present for you now, princess,” Thanos said, nodding his head once. “If you’ll follow me.”

“Of course,” she replied, motioning for Illaria to stay behind as she followed her husband out of the door once again. These halls truly were endless, and were virtually identical to one another. She hurried to keep pace with his long strides. They walked in silence for a moment before she turned her jaw up to look at him. “Might I have a hint as to what my gift is?” she asked with a grin.

Thanos kept his own eyes forward, but Aerendis noticed the slight smile at the corners of his own lips. “No.” 

“No,” she repeated, a chuckle in her voice. 

“You will see soon enough, princess. I'm certain that you will enjoy it.”

Aerendis raised her brows, her lips pursing as she caught his gaze for a fleeting second. “That’s a hint, you know.” A hint that gave away more than he likely meant to. They knew next to nothing about one another. How could he be certain of anything that she would enjoy? Her interest piqued, she felt her heart begin to flutter in anticipation. 

Husband and wife did not walk for much longer until they turned down a much taller, wider hallway lined with only a handful of doors. Thanos stopped before the last one on the left and pressed a button, causing the metal to clink open. 

“Go ahead, princess,” he said, motioning for her to enter the room. 

Aerendis pawed nervously at her dress as she stepped forward, passing over the threshold into a room that was much larger than she could have anticipated. It was mostly empty save for one section in the corner that was walled off, and bits of dry grass strewn about the floor. Her brow furrowed.

But just as she was about to turn to her husband, she saw a great shadow stepping out from behind the partition and into the light of the room. First, a snout emerged, then large, familiar eyes, drooping ears, a long neck. Soon, the entire creature stood bathed in the bright light from above, its gangly limbs and tan fur a more than welcome sight.

“Cassiopeia…?” Aerendis breathed in disbelief as tears suddenly obscured her view. 

Similarly shocked, the Faraax let out a loud, high-pitched vocalization and lumbered toward the princess. Aerendis met the creature in the middle, arms wrapping fully around her neck and face burying into the silken fur there. 

“Oh, my gods,” Aerendis mumbled into her pelt. She felt the creature nuzzle against her own dark hair sweetly. “Oh my gods. Cassiopeia. I cannot believe…” 

The Faraax hummed and groaned, as if to express her own joy at seeing her owner again. Aerendis knew how frightened the creature must have been. To be taken from the stables and ushered here must have been a terrifying ordeal. And then to be left alone for the majority of the day… What a relief it must have been for Aerendis to walk through the door.

Aerendis turned to her husband, eyes wide in her shock and awe. “You did this…” she said, breathless. “You had her brought here.” Her lips parted as her brow creased. “You had her brought here for me.” Her expression softened once again as Cassiopeia’s nose brushed against her cheek. 

“I did.” Did she detect something bordering on softness in his own gaze?

The princess broke away from her steed, still attempting to catch her breath as she stopped before her husband. Both of her hands clasped around one of his, her grip tightening immediately. A gesture more intimate than any they had shared, yet one of pure gratitude. “Thank you. This means more to me than you can possibly know. I could not even begin to explain.” 

The Faraax was one more thing to connect her to and remind her of Tovarion. For a heart that would soon begin to ache with homesickness, such a gift would be priceless. Aerendis would have felt that ache even more deeply had she not had her most beloved companion by her side.

“I understand well enough, princess,” Thanos replied, regarding the creature briefly before meeting the misty grey eyes of his wife. “The bond you share with this creature.”

Cassiopeia leaned down to nudge Aerendis’ shoulder once again, maintaining that contact with her as though they had been apart for an age. As the princess turned, her cheek pressed to the Faraax’s muzzle and a content smile came upon her lips. “Thank you,” she repeated, though those two words seemed insufficient. “I will be so glad to have her here with me.”

Thanos replied with a gesture that she did not expect - he lifted his free hand to take a strand of Aerendis’ hair between his fingers. “Never say that I am not generous, princess,” he remarked softly before his hand fell away again. It rung more like a threat in her ears, but she was still grateful for his present. 

“Of course,” she said, turning her gaze upwards once again. Her hands finally let go of his. “Now I shall have to remember how to make my way here on my own.” 

“I don’t doubt that you will be by her side daily.” 

“If not even more frequently,” Aerendis said, letting out a soft breath as her smile widened. There was nothing disingenuous about the grin, which caused the corners of her eyes to crease. He had given her the gift of joy on a day that had left her otherwise heartbroken. 

Cassiopeia would not move more than a few inches away from Aerendis, her large form curled around her owner. The warmth of her body was a great comfort to the princess, as was the low sound of her deep breathing. The Faraax dipped her head to look at Thanos, her head cocking to one side in a moment of recognition. Aerendis chuckled, knowing that this was the first moment that Cassiopeia had noticed his presence since they had entered the room. 

“She remembers you.”

“It would seem so,” he muttered. The Faraax nickered at him before nuzzling at Aerendis’ hair once again.

“I trust she will warm up to you in time.” She stroked the creature’s shoulder. “Faraax aren’t particularly warm when it comes to strangers.”

“Much like your people.” 

“Yes,” she said, a crooked grin tugging at her lips. “Perhaps they learned it from us.” Her fingers brushed idly through the Faraax’s dense pelt. Eventually, she reluctantly pulled away. “I think Illaria will be wondering where I’ve gone if I stay too long with her tonight.” 

“I can have Gamora bring you here again in the morning, princess.”

Aerendis flashed a thankful smile. “I would like that.” Turning to the creature, she pressed her nose against her soft muzzle. “I will return very soon. I promise you.” Cassiopeia let out a grunt of disapproval, baying softly as the princess turned to leave once again. “I promise!”

Her heart was still soaring as she followed her husband back to her chambers, a glow in her cheeks that would not fade. “Perhaps your daughters could give me a tour of the ship tomorrow,” she said breaking their brief silence. 

“If you wish, princess.” 

“Please.” 

Aerendis trod carefully behind her husband, making sure to lift the hem of her dress lest it brush against the grimy floors. Where she was cat-like in her movements - lithe and graceful - his footsteps echoed heavily throughout the corridor. Why the gods had planned to bring together such as pair as them - two so vastly opposite beings from such different walks of life - was beyond her. But he had surprised her already; this gift showed that, perhaps, sentiment was not lost on him, after all.

Once at her chamber door, she paused for a moment before entering the room. “Thank you again.” She sighed. “I could express my gratitude a hundred times and it would not suffice.” 

“There’s no need,” he assured her. 

Nodding, she drew in a short breath. “Well, good night, then. Unless you would like to revisit my previous offer and join us in our card game.” It was a playful jest, one that he seemed to appreciate well enough as a smile twitched at his lips for a fleeting second.

“Good night, princess,” he said, turning away.

Aerendis smiled, folding her arms. “Good night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWO back to back chapters, whew! I really felt like I had to because next to nothing happened in the previous chapter.
> 
> Ah, these last few pure moments before Aerendis really starts getting under Thanos' skin. But shout out to him for being an actual good hubby for this one fleeting moment! Cassiopeia isn't sold on him yet, but can you blame her? :p
> 
> Also, I'd like to invite everyone to check out the Pinterest page I've made for fic aesthetics. I've taken on this enormous fic project but feel that I've been pretty crap at describing how Aerendis looks and dresses as well as the overall ~vibe of Tovarion. I made a few boards that (hopefully) get my vision across. Check 'em out: https://www.pinterest.com/astralust/
> 
> Again, thanks soooo so much for reading. Comments and questions are always welcome. I love to hear from you guys. Thanks so much for reading! <3
> 
> p.s. the fic has hit 20k words??? Whuuuhhhh


	10. Dinner

Aerendis was certain that others had had a far more eventful first few weeks of marriage than she. Her husband’s warship, the Sanctuary II she had come to learn it was called, was constantly abuzz with activity. From her chambers, she watched more than a dozen ships depart each day, bound for distant worlds and places she could only speculate about. Even Gamora and Nebula had left mere days after they had left Tovarion and they had not been back since. All the while, her husband rarely called on her, preoccupied as he was with the “work” she knew so little about. 

Her days looked much the same - entertaining Cassiopeia, reading, watching the cosmos, spending hours upon hours with Illaria in her chambers. Their schedule cycled through all of these activities each day. But there was one place that anyone on the ship would know to find the princess in the evenings. Aerendis insisted on a formal dinner every night - or as formal as she could make it in such an environment. Dinners in the Tovari palace were an opportunity for the royal family to gather together after long days often spent apart, going about their various duties. Continuing them, even here, helped her grasp at some sense of normalcy in a life turned on its head. 

Aerendis had hoped that someone would have joined her at the table each night, but she had only ever had Illaria by her side as she ate. This night was no different - as the two entered the room she had designated for their meals, they were greeted by naught but an empty table like every evening before. 

“I will go see about our meal,” Illaria said, bowing her head before making her way toward the kitchens.

Aerendis followed her usual path through the dining room, her elegant blue dinner gown rustling softly behind her as she moved to the great window that made up one of its walls. The view was different every time she entered this room. One day, a shimmering orange planet. The next, interstellar dust that reflected the light of distant suns. She could have sworn that, one evening, she had even seen a black hole in the farthest reaches of space.

Today, the princess’ eyes widened as they beheld the sights that lay just on the other side of the glass. A vast cluster of nebulae each of a different hue. Red, blue, green - all sprinkled with glittering stars and other heavenly bodies. They sat in stark contrast to the darkness of space that framed them. It was truly a sight to behold.

Her eyes danced across every form, watching as the ship slowly crept past them. Like watching the clouds float by on a warm summer’s day when she was a girl. But the sound of the door opening behind her soon drew her from those fond memories and back into the dark room once again. 

“Is our dinner nearly ready, Illaria?” Aerendis asked, not turning away from the window.

“I’m afraid I don’t know anything about that, princess.” 

It was not her handmaiden’s voice that answered her. The princess turned to glance over her shoulder and saw Thanos standing beside the table, the remnant of a grin leaving his face. 

“Oh,” Aerendis breathed. “What a surprise.” She turned back toward the window once again. “You’ve been quite busy of late.”

“Always.” The sound of his footsteps approached, stopping as he entered her peripheral vision. His hands clasped behind his back.

They could not have looked more different as they stood side by side. He, a warrior clad in armor. Her, a princess dressed in a fine dinner gown. She had come to notice how greatly she stood out on this ship. Regal attire that was well suited to Tovarion culture left her looking overdressed in a place such as this. But Aerendis was happy to be as well groomed as ever, her own perfectly manicured fingers laced together as she and her husband gazed out of the window.

“You know, I’m over three-thousand years old,” she began after a pause, eyes reflecting the colors of the cosmos before her “I must have left Tovarion and flown across the galaxy a thousand times. I’ve seen entire worlds made of glass, witnessed as stars collapsed into themselves, flown through near-endless fields of meteors. But space never fails to amaze me with its beauty.” 

“And you will see even more of it,” Thanos replied, moving towards the table to take a seat in the only chair that could accommodate him.

“Will we be traveling for long, then?” Aerendis remained with her back to him. She was silhouetted against the window and all the hues that danced beyond it.

“This is a warship, princess. We are always traveling.”

“Do we have a destination?”

“For now? Riota.”

Aerendis was taken aback, her head snapping to him in her confusion. “Riota?” she echoed. A simple but peaceful planet, its population colorful and diverse and its culture rich. Her father had once bought her a necklace from an artisan there, when they were on a diplomatic visit a very long time ago. Her brow furrowed. “What business does a warship have on Riota?”

Thanos’ jaw clenched as he looked away. His silence was all too telling. “Princess, is there anything you would not do for Tovarion?” he asked, resting his forearms on the dark surface of the table.

She turned to face him fully now, head tilted and brow still creased. “Clearly not.” 

“No.” He shook his head. “More than that.”

“More than marrying the one who would massacre my people in order to stop him from doing do?” Aerendis drew in a languid breath, shrugging her shoulders. “I would die for them. Give my life a hundred times over. I would do anything in my power to see them happy and safe.”

“Even take their lives?” Thanos was watching carefully to gauge her reaction.

Her lips parted, speechless as she shook her head. “I - I’m sorry…”

“Would you take the lives of your people to save them?” He pressed with an urgency that worried her.

“Those two realities seem mutually exclusive.”

“Except when they aren’t, princess.” His voice lowered into a more somber tone. 

“It is not Tovarion of which you speak,” Aerendis remarked softly, moving towards the table and resting her palms upon its surface. 

“No,” Thanos resigned.

“Your home planet,” she deduced. Her eyes narrowed. “Some ill fate befell it, didn’t it?”

“Titan was like many planets I have seen across the universe, princess. A world with a population too great and resources too few to continue sustaining the life that called it home. I watched as my people murdered one another for mere scraps and saw many other starve to death in the streets. We were hurtling toward extinction. My father was among Titan’s leadership, so as his son, I proposed a solution.” 

“Taking lives to save lives...” Her heart pounded in her chest. Imagining such a fate for her own world wounded her to the core. 

“But not with selections designated by class or creed.” Thanos stared at his hands as he spoke. “Half the population - at random - so rich and poor alike would know the sacrifice all the same.”

“Did you do it?” 

He shook his head. “They deemed my plan too extreme, even given the outcome we faced. They called me a madman… and did nothing to save the planet or themselves. The squabbles over resources grew more violent, society collapsed. My home, once lush with green foliage, soured and turned orange. One day, the very atmosphere crumbled, giving way to scorching solar waves and electrical storms.” His eyes, now reflecting a deep sadness, rose to meet Aerendis’ gaze. “Titan died in chaos, princess. And all because my people refused to save themselves from their fate by making the difficult choice. Now I am all that remains of my home.”

Aerendis was moved, if not by the tragic history itself, then by the regret in his eyes. The grief that lingered even all these years later. It was a reality she never wanted to experience herself. Her expression and posture softened, her mouth agape in her stunned silence. 

“I’m so sorry,” she finally managed as her head fell. “Sorry that you had to endure such an end to your home planet.”

“Perhaps we are not so different, princess,” Thanos mused, his eyes not leaving her face. “You love your people as much as I did mine. I can see that. So tell me, would you propose the same solution to save Tovarion if it was in the same situation as my home?”

Aerendis drew in a slow breath, her shoulders rising and falling just as gradually. From the corner of her eye, she saw him rise from his seat and move to the window once again. All the while, she pondered his question. The more she thought about it, the more her heart sank. Taking a life to save another was not a choice she would be able to make. She did not know if she had it in her heart to make such an impossible choice for her people. Making one for herself had been so easy.

She turned to him, moving to the place she had stood at the window previously. “I… I don’t know.” 

Thanos sighed as he looked out across the stars. “Do you know how many planets are in the universe, princess?” 

“Too high a number to count.”

“And how many do you think are like Titan, fast approaching ruin due to a very finite number of resources?”

“I am sure there are a great many.”

“Riota is one such planet.”

Aerendis’ head snapped upwards. “No… that cannot be. They’re a prosperous world of traders.”

“They were. Until their king died and their prince took the throne. Several hundred years later, their world is on the brink of collapse.”

She’d met the prince of which he spoke when he was just a boy. She could not have predicted then that he would have grown into an incompetent leader. It was shocking to hear that a world so full of beauty could have had such an outcome befall it. 

Thanos continued. “It’s too late for Titan, princess. But I vowed to never let another planet share the same end.”

The realization quickly flooded over her, leaving her with her mouth agape as their eyes met. “No,” Aerendis interjected. “You can’t make that decision for them. It isn’t your place to decide that… slaughter… is the only way to bring them back from that brink.”

The muscles in his neck tightened as his jaw clenched. “The universe is in imbalance. Titan wasn’t the first and Riota won’t be the last. If life continues to go unchecked, it will cease to exist as we know it. Correcting that imbalance is of the _utmost_ importance.” 

Aerendis scoffed, shaking her head before turning away. “So that is what you do with your army,” she said, her words frenzied. “You go to planets and kill their people to _save_ them?” The pity she had felt for him before had melted away so quickly. Perhaps his people had not been wrong to call him mad after all. This was no warship. It was something much worse.

“Princess.” Thanos did not need to see her eyes to know that they held a fiery gaze. “When you stood before me and offered your hand in alliance if I spared your planet, I did not accept out of the kindness of my own heart. I saw myself, begging Titan’s leadership to save our world. I saw the same desperation, the same love for my people. But perhaps I was a fool in thinking that you would understand.” The harshness of those words sent a chill up her spine. “When you step foot on Riota tomorrow - and you _will_ accompany me and my army - I want you to look around. Look, and tell me that sacrificing lives won’t save them all from extinction.”

Aerendis did not care to respond, only biting her lip in thought. “So half of Riota will die tomorrow.”

“Yes,” he replied, resigned in his choice. “But they all will if we allow them to continue as they have. Remember that.” 

She could feel her husband’s biting stare even as she continued to avoid it by staring out of the window. A voiced sigh left him as he left her peripheral vision, bound for the door. But as it slid open, Aerendis heard the startled voice of her handmaiden.

“Oh-! My lord,” Illaria said courteously. Aerendis did not need to look to know that a curtsy had accompanied her greeting. “Will you be joining us for dinner?”

“No,” she heard her husband say. “I was just having a word with the princess.”

After she heard his footsteps retreat, Aerendis moved to the table once again. This time, she took her usual seat beside Illaria, who noticed her dour mood almost immediately.

“Is conversation with him so unbearable, Aerendis?” Illaria asked, pouring a goblet of wine for her.

“I shall explain over dinner,” the princess replied, drinking from the cup immediately. “Let’s just say that I’m not quite looking forward to tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is literally the most that Thanos has talked this ENTIRE fic and I feel like half of his dialogue is cherry picked from Infinity War. Heh. 
> 
> But uh, so much for husband/wife bonding, am I right? At least Aerendis unlocked tragic backstory. They've come so far... and with soooo far to go.
> 
> Also I feel compelled to mention that I'll be working on the next chapter on the train to comic con this weekend where I am, uh, meeting Josh Brolin. For his sake, this fic is definitely not going to be a topic of conversation... lmaooo.
> 
> Any way, hope you've enjoyed and, as always, thank you so much for reading! Hugs. <3


	11. Riota

Naught but the sound of a pounding heart filled her ears, drowning out the sounds of horror that surrounded her. Riotans ran past Aerendis in droves, each one attempting to flee from the foreign attackers that had invaded their home. Some knocked into her as they passed, hardly noticing the woman in shining silver armor that stood, unmoving at stone, in the midst of it all.

In all the chaos, Aerendis turned her gaze to the sky, which was blackened by her husband’s great warship and the Chitauri forces that flew past, firing mercilessly on Riota and her citizens. Smoke rose from the city with its clay buildings spread across sprawling hillside. Aerendis could even see the unmistakable clouds of smoke as far as the horizon. No corner of the planet had been spared from the onslaught.

The Riotans put up little fight against Thanos’ army. They were defenseless. Aerendis watched a few struggle against the Chitauri, their attempts to use their fists folly against blasters and other deadly weaponry. She hadn’t even touched her own weapon - the bow that had been gifted to her on their wedding day - or removed a single arrow from its quiver. Her hands remained clenched at her sides all the while, fingers curled tightly into fists. Once or twice, she caught the steely gaze of her husband, who stood idly by, watching silently as his forces carried out their mission. 

Thanos had been correct about one thing: this was not the Riota of Arendis’ youth. The once green planet had withered, its trees stripped down to black bark and its soil razed to the dirt. Its very buildings had begun to crumble in the heat of the planet’s two suns. The city square, where she had long ago walked hand in hand with her father past endless stalls selling art and jewelry and clothing, was barren. All life seemed to have been stripped from Riota, save for the weary beings that still lived here. 

After all they had endured, this fate seemed all too cruel. 

Aerendis turned her head away as she watched one of her husband’s Black Order plunge a spear into a fleeing Riotan. Her eyes, downcast, saw their blue blood splatter against the stone. Then, a sickly thud caused her teeth to clench and her eyes to shut. 

The turmoil only continued around her, never ceasing for even a moment. Aerendis turned from the Riotan that had been felled before her to see more of Thanos’ forces corralling the planet’s terrified residents into the city square. She was invisible to them all, and utterly helpless as she watched groups of Riotans torn apart and separated. Partners clutched at their lovers’ hands, clothes. Children clung to their mothers’ legs. Strangers embraced one another. All in an attempt to prevent the Chitauri from pulling them apart. Aerendis’ heart broke for them. They were so oblivious to what was about to transpire, yet still aware that separation meant nothing good. But they were no match for the army, which so easily overpowered them. 

“Riotans,” she heard the voice of the Maw over the frightened crying of the planet’s residents. “Your day of reckoning is upon you. For on one side of this square lies salvation. On the other, an honor known only to a few.”

 _An honor_ , Aerendis thought. There was no honor in such a death. No mercy, despite what her husband believed. 

The Chitauri made quick work of the Riotans, ushering them into equal but opposite sides with great haste. But then, a sudden tug at Aerendis’ dark blue cloak drew her attention away from the citizens and her distant gaze back into the present. For a moment, she thought a Chitauri had simply brushed past her, but a second tug followed soon after. The princess looked over her shoulder to see the black, tear-filled eyes of a small Riotan child staring up at her.

The boy was gaunt, and struggling to hold his infant sibling to his chest. His bright yellow cheeks were damp from crying. He recoiled as Aerendis knelt before him, no doubt terrified of this offworlder who had come with all of the monsters and death. But he had come to her regardless, desperate for her help. Perhaps it was because she was a woman, or perhaps because she had not partaken in any of the slaughter. 

“What’s the matter?” Aerendis cooed, her brow furrowed in pity as she looked the boy and his sibling over. Her hands extended and she watched as the child eyed them warily. But, seeing no weapons and only open palms, his quivering lips parted.

“I can’t find my mama and papa,” the boy cried, his little hands clutching desperately at the baby that was too heavy for him to carry any longer. “A monster took them.” He glanced at one of the Chitauri, his head bowing fearfully. 

“Don’t be afraid of them. They won’t hurt you.” Aerendis’ hand settled on the boy’s arm, her thumb stroking it gently. “Let’s find your parents together. We will find them, I promise.” She regretted those words the moment they fell from her lips. Their mother and father could be dead already, or otherwise slated for such an end. 

Before Aerendis could stand, the boy let out a cry. “I can’t hold him,” he whined, his little hands grasping at the swaddle that now loosely held his baby brother. 

“Here, let me take him for you,” Aerendis replied, extending both hands to take the infant and draw him close to her chest. He was somehow asleep, oblivious to the terror that had arrived on his home planet. Her gaze softened as she watched him, cheek pressed against her breastplate in his slumber. She couldn’t let one so young lose his parents. 

As Aerendis stood, she looked to the older child and attempted a kindly smile. Shifting the baby’s weight into one of her arms, she extended her other hand to him. “Take my hand. Take my hand and don’t let go.” 

The boy did as she asked, grasping tightly onto two of her fingers. But as they began to talk along the line of Riotans, Aerendis quickly realized that finding the boys’ parents would be near impossible. Not only were there thousands of individuals in the square, but she did not know who to look for. She found herself watching the young boy’s face more than the crowd, searching for any signs of recognition in his eyes. But the longer they looked, the more the child began to crumble. He wasn’t seeing his mother or father. 

Aerendis had had no dealings with the Chitauri since boarding the Sanctuary II, but the Maw was one she had spoken with on more than one occasion. She spotted him among the crowd of Chitauri that stood between the Riotans and tugged the young child along with her. Maw stood with his back to them, a predator pacing before the frightened thralls of people on either side of him.

“Maw,” Aerendis called, her tone clipped and stern.

He turned on his heel to face her, eyes falling immediately on the children. He blinked for a moment before bowing his head. “Princess. May I help you?” It was clear that her presence was more an annoyance than anything.

“These boys have lost their parents. I need your help in finding them.” There was no time for niceties. 

“Princess, there’s no knowing what has become of them,” Maw replied, half exasperated, half stunned by her demand. “If they are lucky, then they have been brought to the side that will fall so that Riota may rise. These children will prosper for it.”

“ _These children_ -” Aerendis repeated fiercely, but she quickly lowered her tone. “- will _die_ without their mother and father.” She met the Maw’s gaze, unblinking. “They have known enough terror already. You and I must find their parents.” 

Her urging fell on deaf ears. If anything, the Maw grew defiant in the face of her request. His reserved exterior began to crack, giving way to a sneer. “I must do nothing, princess. This is the will of Thanos.”

“The will for these children to suffer because their parents are gone?” Aerendis matched his defiance, her posture tall and her frown deep. “Without their mother and father, there will be no Riota for them. No prosperous future as my husband has promised.” Her lips pulled into a line. “I am not asking you, Maw.” 

What little patience the Maw had had for her fell away entirely. Aerendis watched his jaw tighten and a sinister glint appear in his eyes. “I do not follow your orders.” 

There was no fear etched on the princess’ features, which seemed sharper than usual in the bright Riotan sun. The crease in her brow intensified, eyes meeting the Maw’s with a severity that surpassed his own. She was not to be toyed with on this day. Not only was she still princess of Tovarion, but she was also wife of Thanos. She would be heard.

“You will answer to me, Maw,” she pressed. “You will assist me in locating these boys’ parents.”

“If I were to do so, princess,” the Maw snarled her title. “I would be met with the judgement of my father.”

“And you shall be met with my _wrath_ if you fail to do as I command. I will not ask you again.” 

The Maw grimaced and, in a blink, looked to where Thanos still stood in his place overlooking the square. Without another word to the princess, he turned his back to her and began his slow walk along one half of the Riotans. Aerendis followed in pace, clinging to the young boy’s hand tightly. 

“Riotans,” the Maw called as they walked. “The Princess Aerendis extends mercy to the parents of these two young children. If they be yours, speak now and be reunited thanks to the good grace of her heart.” Aerendis noted the mocking tone in his voice and the glare that he threw her way as he finished addressing the crowd. 

A cry from the back of the crowd drew Aerendis’ attention - the cry of a woman. The voice grew louder and she watched as two Riotans pressed through the masses, desperately making their way to the front. “Feryn!” the woman called, extending her hand above the heads of those standing before her. “My son!” With her, a Riotan male that the princess knew was the boys’ father.

“Mama!” the boy by Aerendis’ side called. She had to clutch his hand tighter so he would not disappear into the vast sea of Riotans between them and his parents. 

The two soon reached the front, their arms reaching past the Chitauri that held them back. Little Feryn broke free from Aerendis, running to take his parents’ hands. Still clutching the sleeping babe in her own arms, the princess followed. 

“Let them through!” she yelled at the Chitauri, pushing one of them aside with her free hand. 

The creature took not one step and the parents burst forth, immediately enveloping their boy in their arms. Feryn’s father scooped him up and the boy nestled his face into the crook of his neck. The mother’s tear-filled gaze quickly fell on Aerendis, who could only swallow down the lump that had risen in her own throat. 

“Oh, my babe…” the woman cooed, hands reaching for the tiny infant. As soon as the child was in her arms, she pressed kiss after kiss to the top of his smooth, hairless head. 

The wave of relief that washed over Aerendis caused her hands to shake, now empty of the weight of the child she had been carrying. She could feel the power of this mother’s love for her sons. 

“You saved them,” the woman finally breathed, her black eyes meeting the princess’. “You saved us.”

“They found me.” Aerendis could only shake her head. “I had to help them. Help _you_.” 

“Thank you for reuniting us. Thank you.” The mother nuzzled her babe’s head again, then turning to kiss the older son who still had not let go of his father. 

But Aerendis’ joy was short-lived. As a shadow fell over her, her smile faded. She knew who it was before she even turned to face him.

As she did, Thanos’ eyes met her own, a distinct displeasure creasing in the lines of his face. The princess readied her response before he could voice his anger, but he turned to the Maw instead. “Bring two others, Maw,” Thanos said, his piercing gaze never leaving Aerendis. 

“Right away, sire,” the Maw replied, bowing graciously before approaching the Riotans opposite them.

All color drained from Aerendis’ face. She watched, in horror, as the Chitauri grabbed two other Riotans by the neck. One reached for the person beside them, whether a family member or partner, begging not to be separated. The Chitauri dragged the pair closer and cries for mercy filled the princess’ ears. 

Aerendis looked from her husband to the Maw to the two Riotans, who were thrust into the other crowd. But as she stepped forward, Thanos took hold of her arm with one of his hands, his grip unyielding. She could only look on from where they stood, between the two halves. 

The Maw slunk toward the half that the two Riotans had just joined, hands clasped behind his back. “Salvation cannot come without sacrifice,” he addressed the frightened horde. “Go in peace, Riotans. Go in peace, now, and meet your maker.”

Aerendis bowed her head as the Chitauri began to fire on the defenseless crowd of Riotans. But even with closed eyes, she heard their screams quickly die down as they fell, one by one, to the stone pavement. Thanos let go of her arm only when it was done. Aerendis still did not look up. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing the anguish and fury that lingered in her eyes. Aerendis could feel his long, fixed stare, however, as he moved around to her front.

“Take her back to my ship.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Aerendis!!! Her kind heart isn't a match for her hubby, now, is it? :( I think it's safe to say that Thanos isn't going to have patience for her stubbornness. Not now, anyway. But she sure gets the gold star for trying...!
> 
> I'm very glad to have gotten to this chapter finally because it's one of the few that I based this entire fic around (!!!!!). I really hope you've enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Thanks, as always, for reading and let me know what you think! <3


	12. Unravelling

Aerendis had been made to wait for her husband’s return in the throne room, a gleaming beacon shining amidst the darkness that surrounded her. There she paced, alone, before the stone steps leading up to the empty throne. On the outside, she was the picture of serenity; her expressionless face was cast downward, her eyes unseeing. Inside, a tormented heart thudded against her ribs, the tumultuous beating stealing her of air. The images from Riota haunted her every step, replayed again and again. And those screams - they echoed inside her head. Penance for her disobedience. 

Thanos could not be happy with what she had done on Riota. The way he had regarded her with naught but a cold stare had more than told her that. All that was left was to see what wrath she had wrought in meddling with their actions, whether he was furious or merely dissatisfied with her. Even she could find no solace in reuniting those poor boys with their mother and father. It wasn’t just the faceless, directionless screams that plagued her now; it was those that she had heard from the two who had been dragged from safety and into the open arms of death. Exchanging a life for a life had not been her goal. But, of course, her husband had known that. 

The throne room was so silent that she heard Thanos approaching without even looking up. To her dismay, the Maw followed him like a creature to the heel of its master. Aerendis folded her arms as they passed in silence, her husband to his throne and the Maw to his side. There was a look of smug satisfaction on the Maw’s wrinkled features that made the princess’ stomach turn.

“To my recollection, princess,” Thanos began, peering at her from underneath his helm. “I asked you to observe on Riota today.”

Aerendis drew in a breath, as unexpected as his words were. She had anticipated boiling, seething anger from him. His calculated question was somehow even more worrying. 

“Yes, you did.” Aerendis brought her hands behind her back, now, readying herself for the confrontation that would certainly ensue. 

“Tell me what you saw.”

“I saw a Riota I did not recognize. The same landscape and city skyline, yes, but bereft of the beautiful, vibrant life I remember from when I was a girl. I saw a Riota that was dying. I am not ashamed to admit that you were correct on that particular front.” She sighed, however. “But as much as I saw Riota in pain, I saw her people in fear. Terror.” 

“As I told you before, ours is not the easy choice.” There was already frustration lacing Thanos’ tone. “But it is the necessary one. You saw how Riota suffered due to their carelessness. Now the Riota of your childhood can be reborn.”

“Riota will never be the same,” Aerendis corrected him, shaking her head. The Riotans would never forget all that they had lost on this day. Not just half of their population, but half of their people. Their world was saved, but for a civilization with only half a soul left. 

Thanos leaned forward on his throne, his face obscured under the sharp line of his helm. “Would you rather they paid a higher price? The extinction of their species?” He waited for a reply that she did not grant. “Riota will endure. They received salvation at exactly the cost needed. But I see very clearly you may be unwilling to understand that.” A disgruntled sigh left him. “Perhaps you will one day.”

“You may be disappointed,” Aerendis admitted. At the very least, she could offer him the truth. 

“No more disappointed than I am now.” Thanos’ tone shifted abruptly, his expression darkened as he sat back to his full height once again. Aerendis had been waiting for this blow to come since he had taken his place on the throne. “In all the time my army has spent traversing the universe, princess, saving planets from a cruel fate, I have never treated my work with anything but impartiality. I had hoped that you would not meddle with that process.” 

Aerendis’ expression slackened. She hadn’t borne the brunt of a scolding since she was a girl. As much as it didn’t sit well with her, she had expected anger above all else. What she received from her husband instead was somehow more disconcerting - quiet discontentment uttered in a tone that chilled her to her very core. 

“I couldn’t just… stand there,” the princess said, the weight of her pain made evident in the way she had to force the words from her lips. She could still see the face of that young boy as clear as day, see how his tears reflected the light of the suns and how he stood, pigeon-toed and trembling before her. “That child came to me for help. I could not have turned him away.”

“The boy and his brother would have flourished because of their parents’ sacrifice,” the Maw interjected, his palms extended upward. There was a solemnity in his gaze and an unwavering belief in his words.

“They would have _died_ without their parents,” Aerendis retorted. Her features softened. “The younger boy could not have been more than a few months old.” 

Thanos’ stony exterior was unwavering. “Had you only asked, princess, you could have taken those boys and raised them as your own.” But the lilt to his words brought something more surprising to the surface - a hint of compassion. His sincerity was tangible. No doubt this was his idea of generosity in the face of slaughter. 

“That is a very kind offer,” Aerendis replied, her eyebrows raising as the words slowly came to her. “But I am not their mother. I could not have gone without reuniting those parents with their children. I simply could not.”

“And, in doing so, you condemned two other Riotans.”

“Balance,” the Maw hissed. His earlier smirk reappeared, turning the princess’ expression sour. 

“I’m not the one who dragged them to the side that was chosen to die.” 

Thanos hummed, low and resonant in the stillness of the throne room. “And does that bring you any peace, princess?” 

Aerendis’ jaw clenched. The sinking feeling in her core answered his question well enough. It was a double-edged sword, and would have elicited a terrible outcome either way. There was no way of knowing which was the better choice. Neither one was. 

The uncomfortable coil in her stomach tightened the more she realized what this day had illustrated to her. Her husband was not to be trifled with. She was sure to lose against him every time. Perhaps he had sought out to teach this lesson all along, make her understand the hierarchy of their relationship and, more importantly, his own power. 

Without a verbal reply from his wife, Thanos rose from the throne and descended the steps until he stood before her. As one of his hands lifted to take a few strands of her raven-black tresses between his fingers, Aerendis met his gaze. “I see the goodness in your heart, princess,” he said in almost a whisper, something resembling sweetness lilting in his voice. “And the stubbornness.”

Something close to a smile flashed across Aerendis’ face. 

“I can respect your conviction to that goodness,” Thanos continued, fingers brushing against the warmth of her neck as his hand fell to his side once again. “You and I both want what is best. For our people, for the universe. I understand that, better than most.” 

_Although_ , Aerendis thought, _we have vastly different ideas of what that means._

Thanos retreated, but only made it up one of the stone steps before he peered back at his wife from over his shoulder. His former softness had melted away in that brief moment, leaving behind a cold stare that pierced right through her. 

“You are dismissed.” His voice was worryingly monotone. As she turned to leave, his voice stopped her dead in her tracks. “But, princess? Undermine me again and Tovarion will wish you hadn’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you've enjoyed this short little interlude chapter after Aerendis' very trying time on Riota! Even hubby knows she's a stubborn one. He feels a very very begrudging respect for that. But he has his limits, of course. :p
> 
> If you're still reading, I'd like to invite you to follow the fanfic Tumblr I've set up for my writing. I'll be posting this fic over on that page as well as here, but a Tumblr will give me more opportunities to post about character building, inspo, and maybe even answer questions if you guys have any! I love the discourse that surrounds fanfiction and I'd be absolutely thrilled to chat with you guys about this story! 
> 
> Find me at acediian.tumblr.com c:
> 
> Admittedly, I'm starting to get past the point where I had each chapter plotted out, so it may be a while until my next update. I don't want to just wing this fanfic because it'll take some time and thought to get these two bozos to fall in love, which is, of course, the whole point of the story.
> 
> And as always, thanks so so so much for reading this fic of mine! I really appreciate you all. <3


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